


Elicchi, Alpha Extraordinaire

by VTR



Series: Alpha Extraordinaire [1]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS, Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: A/B/O, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Children, F/F, Family, Futanari, Parenthood, Pregnancy, Were-Creatures, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-04-13 18:04:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 107,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14117940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VTR/pseuds/VTR
Summary: Eli and Nozomi struggle to raise their daughter in a world that just doesn't understand their kind. Luckily, the rest of the Muse pack has their back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I ignored my boss to stay home and write this

The scent of Nozomi was always enticing, comforting, and loving, and Eli counted herself the luckiest alpha in the world to be able to wake up to it each morning. Her beloved wife looked so serene while asleep, and, despite the early morning rays peeking through the curtains, Eli cuddled a little closer and shut her eyes again, hoping to catch another hour or two of sleep. She forgot one very important detail, however.

“Mamaaa! Mommyyy! Wake up!”

Eli groaned as the door flew open and her young daughter bounded up onto the bed. Her irritation dissipated almost instantly, though, when she saw what a bright smile the little girl wore. To Eli, that girl and her smile were the most precious things in the world, proof of the love she and Nozomi shared. Still, though, it was way too early.

“What is it, Karin?” Eli asked. “Mommy’s sleepy.”

Karin bounced on her knees, making the bed shake, and Nozomi began to stir.

“Mommy, can you take me to school, please? It’s almost time to go!”

Eli glanced over at the alarm clock on the nightstand. 7:25 on a Monday… Of course. It was amazing how just a week’s vacation from work could cause one to lose track of the days. With a grunt and one final stretch-and-yawn, Eli shooed Karin from the bed and climbed over the still-dozing Nozomi. She threw together a decently acceptable outfit and pulled her hair into her signature ponytail.

“Okay. Let’s go!” She gestured for Karin to follow her out to the living room.

“Karin,” came Nozomi’s drowsy voice. She reached out to her little girl.

Karin rushed back into the room to embrace her mother and accept her kisses. “Bye, Mama!”

“Have a good day at school, little cub,” said Nozomi. “Don’t forget your lunch.”

“I won’t! Love you!”

Eli and Nozomi shared a tender gaze before Eli finally closed the bedroom door and followed Karin out to the living room. The little one was full of energy this morning, and Eli, usually quite the early bird, had trouble keeping up. _I should go back to work soon, before I turn into a couch potato_ , she thought. A yummy smell and the sound of clanking dishes returned her to the present moment. Rin and Hanayo were in the kitchen cranking out a gargantuan breakfast feast.

“Did you already eat, Karin?” Eli asked.

Karin nodded as she skipped over to the front door to grab her shoes. “Yeah! They fed me first!”

Eli slipped on her own shoes, and the pair of them were soon outside in the fresh spring morning. Birds whistled and flitted about in the trees, and the dew that coated the grass glistened in the sun’s early rays. The elementary school wasn’t far off, and many other children from the neighborhood walked there alone, but Eli insisted on walking Karin to school. Nozomi sometimes asked that she let up and allow Karin a little independence, but Eli, as an alpha herself, was hyper-aware of the threat that other alphas might pose to her daughter. It was rare, certainly, but not unheard of for just-bred or rutting alphas, particularly if they were young, to attack the offspring of others as a sort of animalistic territorial statement. Eli would never allow that to happen to Karin.

When they arrived at the school, Karin spotted some of her friends waiting for her. Eli sent her off with a hug and a kiss.

“Be good, baby girl,” she said. “I’ll be here to pick you up in the afternoon, okay?”

“Okay! Bye, Mom!”

Eli watched Karin run off and join her friends, affection plain as day on her face. Suddenly, though, she caught the sharp scent of an omega just-bred, and was startled to find a nearby woman watching her. The light smirk the woman wore reminded Eli of Nozomi’s enigmatic smile, the one she used when she tried to play mysterious, and it set her on alert.

“Is that your daughter?” the woman asked, and sidled up next to Eli. She had an unusual accent.

Up close, Eli could see the now-diminishing blonde fur that faintly framed the woman’s face, and when she spoke, her elongated canines were still visible. The pungent musk of the omega's partner still clung to the her, and Eli felt her skin prickle at the foreign alpha scent. It was too personal, too invasive, and, to Eli’s more primal side, too threatening.

“That’s my daughter, yes,” came Eli’s strained reply.

The omega woman laughed when she noticed the traces of fur beginning to show on Eli’s arms and face. “Oh, lighten up! No need to be so serious!” she said. “My name is Mari Ohara. I just moved here and it’s my daughter’s first day at this school! Your girl looks about the same age as mine.” Mari pointed out her daughter in the crowd, a little girl with the same blonde hair as her mother who was currently shuffling timidly amongst the other children.

“We’re from the country, so she’s not used to being around this many people,” Mari continued in her sing-song voice. “Who knows, maybe our kids will end up being friends!”

Eli allowed herself to relax a little after seeing that this omega was no threat, at least not outwardly. She gave a polite nod. “Perhaps so,” she said. “Welcome to the neighborhood, Ohara-san.”

“Now, what was your name?” Mari asked.

“Eli Ayase,” Eli said, and felt compelled to add, “I’m one of the alphas of the Muse pack.”

“I can certainly smell that,” said Mari. “Well, anyway, Ayase-san, till next time! Ciao!”

Mari was nice enough, Eli supposed, but she didn’t like the idea of unknown alphas encroaching on what she considered to be _her_ neighborhood. By beta laws, everyone had a right to live where they pleased, but Eli’s heightened alpha instincts couldn’t help but feel threatened. She kept all her senses on high alert during the walk home, in case some foreign pack decided to ambush her, but nothing of the sort came about.

 

At home, the rest of the Muse pack was finally up and about and enjoying the massive breakfast specially prepared by Rin and Hanayo. Nozomi put aside a plate for Eli as soon as she saw Honoka walk into the room, because she knew that between Honoka, Hanayo, and Rin, the meal would be reduced to mere scraps in record time.

“Come on, Umi, eat some more!” Honoka insisted. She pushed more of the eggs and fish her partner’s way. “Compared to the rest of us you’ve hardly made a dent in all this food!”

“Yeah, eat more!” Rin chimed in. “It’s good for the baby, nya!”

Heavily-pregnant Umi did not appreciate the extra attention her condition earned her, as the implications were absolutely shameless, and it was plain to the other women that she was flustered. Still, though, she accepted another helping of proteins, more out of obligation to the child growing inside of her than actual hunger.

“I-I know that,” she stammered.

Kotori giggled at Umi’s embarrassment. Even after all these years she still couldn’t bear the slightest sliver of spotlight. Kotori gave her an encouraging nudge.

“You don’t have to be so embarrassed, Umi-chan,” she said. She gestured to her own child, Kasumi, who was also the product of Honoka’s affections, and to whom Umi was also considered a parent. “It’s perfectly natural. Nozomi and I have already been through it, so we know. Besides, when I was pregnant, you gave me so much attention I felt like I could never get a moment of privacy!”

“Yeah, Mommy,” little Kasumi chimed in. “Everybody already knows you’re having a _baby_.”

“Fair point...” the red-faced Umi admitted, but gave Kasumi a good, hard look. “Shouldn’t you be at school already, young lady?”

Maki, who was rather shy herself and therefore more sensitive to Umi’s frustrations than anyone else, decided to change the subject before their blue-haired friend exploded and before Kasumi’s little “home sick” ruse got busted.

“Hey, I heard that house down the block finally sold,” she said. “Rumor has it it’s a big family like ours.”

“Another pack, you mean?” said Nico. “Eli’s not gonna like that at all.”

“No, she isn’t,” Nozomi agreed. “She already can’t bear to have Karin out of her sight. Once Eli hears about a new pack in the area, well, Karin can forget about ever growing up or being independent.”

“I guess I can kind of understand that, though,” said Honoka. “I mean, if something ever happened to Kasumi and I could have prevented it, I don’t know what I’d do with myself!”

“Well, there has to be a balance between protectiveness and permissiveness,” said Nozomi. “It’s natural to want to keep your children safe, but right now I think Eli is too protective. Karin isn’t going to grow up properly with Mommy always hovering over her.”

Eli chose that moment to open the front door. “I’m back!” She stepped out of her shoes and joined the others at the table. Nozomi offered her the plate she’d set aside for her, and she gratefully accepted. “I met a strange omega at the school just now.”

“Yeah, we were just talking about that,” said Nico. “Maki heard another pack moved into that house that was for sale. That omega is probably with them.”

“Probably,” said Eli. “She did say she just moved to the area, and I could smell a strong alpha scent on her. Talk about too much information...”

While the others talked, Rin was aware of Hanayo’s silence, and especially so of her shifting scent. She leaned close to her lover, allowing the prickly scent of her rising heat to tickle her baser instincts, and asked softly, “Do you need to go upstairs, Kayo-chin?”

Hanayo gave a meek nod. “Yes.” She stood up from the table, and when she found everyone’s eyes on her, she said, “W-well, I think I ate too much, so I’m going to go take it easy for a while...” Of course, everyone could smell exactly what the real issue was as she walked away.

Rin stood up next, and, while she was aware that everyone _else_ was aware of what she was about to do, she found herself frozen with embarrassment anyway. Nozomi gave her a wink and a cheeky grin.

“Go get her!”

Rin needed no second bidding, and she bounded after Hanayo like a hound on the blood trail. The tantalizing scent of her mate’s heat sent burning pulses of _need_ through her body. By the time Rin flung the bedroom door open, she was fully shifted, with orange fur covering her body and framing her face, making her look like a little tiger. Her body was abuzz with primal energy, and her cock strained against the confines of her underpants, especially when she saw that Hanayo was writhing, mid-shift, on the bed.

“Kayo-chin, you didn’t tell me you were going into heat!” She pounced onto the bed, effectively placing herself atop Hanayo, and peppered her with desperate little nips and kisses.

“I tried to hold it back,” Hanayo replied, her voice high and breathy. The burn between her legs only grew with each of Rin’s hungry kisses, and she whimpered when her love’s roaming hands slipped beneath her skirt.

“I need you, Kayo-chin, I need you,” Rin rumbled into her ear.

Hanayo needed Rin, too, if the state of her panties was any indication. Rin tore them away, revealing the prize within – Hanayo’s gorgeous flower, wide open and glistening just for her. Her cock throbbed desperately at the sight and smell of it, and she did away with her shorts and plunged herself inside in record time. The relief of Rin filling the aching void between her legs was absolute heaven for Hanayo, who couldn’t stifle an embarrassing moan.

The pair’s lifelong closeness afforded Rin the ability to please Hanayo almost as naturally as she pleased herself; it was like second nature at this point. But the spell of the rut turned Hanayo’s tiger into a ravenous lover, and the _fucking_ they engaged in now was a far cry from their usual sweet lovemaking. Hanayo didn’t mind, though; she _couldn’t_ mind. All that mattered was that Rin was inside of her, and that Rin would fill her up with seed, and that she would soon bear Rin’s child. The mere thought of it coupled with the sweet alpha musk that enveloped her had her screaming.

Hanayo’s pulsing and squeezing around Rin’s burning member was unbearable. “Kayo- Kayo, I’m- Ugh…!” Rin’s last utterance devolved into an animal snarl as she buried herself to the hilt and emptied herself inside her mate. The hot fluid felt so good bursting out of her cock that Rin felt sorry to finally run out.

When both women finally calmed, Rin cuddled down next to Hanayo, burying her face in the warm fur of her neck.

“I love you, Kayo-chin… I’m sorry.”

“You’re… sorry?” Hanayo cocked her head. “W-what for?”

Rin pulled back and cupped her lover’s face, gently stroking the fur there. “I should’ve asked if I could… Inside...” She averted her shameful eyes, and Hanayo’s heart leapt.

“Rin-chan! You don’t have to apologize!” Hanayo took hold of one of Rin’s hands and squeezed it tight. “I know it’s hard to think about anything else when we’re like this… But we’ve been together long enough, haven’t we? I think… I think it’d be okay to have a baby. Don’t you?”

Her tiger’s toothy grin said it all.

 

Nico wasn’t really the type to admit to enjoying daytime soaps, but she did, in fact, love daytime soaps, and her favorite, _Neurology Department_ , aired at noon. Eli suspected her friend liked it so much because it reminded her of Maki, but with Nico one could never be too certain. Nozomi was down for a nap, Honoka and her partners were out grocery shopping, and Maki was at work, so if Eli wanted any company at all, she was forced to hang out with weeping Nico. It didn’t help that the scent of Hanayo’s heat and Rin’s musk permeated the entire house now, and so the remaining pair of alphas were fully shifted. While watching soaps.

“Oh my god,” Nico sobbed as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue. “Have you been keeping up, Eli? I can’t believe Haruka would cheat on her after all they’ve been through...”

“I haven’t been keeping up,” Eli replied. Truly, she had no idea who any of these characters were, what they were doing, or why they were doing it. The cast might as well have been completely different from three weeks ago, when she last sat down to watch an episode with Nico. “Anyway, I have to pee.”

Eli left her teary friend and made her way to the ground floor bathroom. It was obviously Nico’s bathroom, what with the bright pink mats and shower curtains and the litter of bows and bobby pins scattered on the sink counter. The multitude of (negative) pregnancy tests in the trash can didn’t elude her, either. She couldn’t help but smirk at that; Maki was hyper-focused on her career, and an accidental child might interfere with her personal goals.

The sorry state of Eli’s penis made it difficult to go earlier, or, really, to do anything but think about fucking her mate stupid, so she sighed as she finally emptied her bladder. Her pleasant relief was interrupted by the insistent buzz of the phone in her pocket. She used her free hand to check who was calling, and was surprised to find that it was Karin’s school.

It would be awkward and just plain bad form to answer while still urinating, but what if Karin was hurt? Carefully, she directed her stream to the side of the bowl and picked up, willing herself to piss faster.

“H-hello?”

“Hello, is this Ayase-san speaking?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Ayase-san, this is Aya Sakamoto, the principal of your daughter’s elementary school. Karin was involved in an incident with another student at lunchtime today and your presence is requested to resolve the problem with the other student’s parents...”

“An incident?” At least Eli was empty now. She quietly tucked herself back into her shorts. “She’s not hurt, is she?”

“No, she isn’t hurt, but...” The principal paused, presumably to find the right words. “It has to do with her… nature. Are you or another guardian able to make it here?”

Eli nodded despite being on the phone. “Yes, my wife and I will be there shortly. Thank you.”

Nozomi was not happy to be torn away from her noontime nap so soon. She looked so sweet and sexy gazing up at her partner with sleepy eyes and pouty lips, though perhaps that was just the rut talking. Luckily, the thought of Karin’s incident, whatever it might be, and the fact that it was bad enough to call the parents of the children involved, worked effectively enough to deflate Eli’s otherwise needy cock.

After dressing and pretending that they _didn’t_ just witness Nico stroking herself in the living room to Maki’s sexts (she must’ve thought Eli wasn’t coming back), Eli and Nozomi were on their way to the school. The beautiful morning had evolved into a beautiful afternoon, and the fresh spring breeze, free of Hanayo’s heat scent, did much to soothe Eli’s senses and allow her to slowly shift back to her normal appearance.

“Shifting back so soon?” Nozomi stroked the golden fur on Eli’s arm before it began to diminish.

“Sitting there smelling Hanayo’s heat was too much,” Eli said. “Especially when someone decided to take a nap instead of helping me.”

Nozomi just gave her _that_ smile. “I wasn’t going to forget about you, my sexy wolf.”

Lucky Nozomi was born an omega, since she found the beastly alpha transformations so attractive. Eli had to admit that Nozomi was especially lovely in her heat, too, with the luscious purple fur that coated her body, and the way her little fangs poked out when she bit her lip, and, oh gods, the _smell_ of her…

“Hello? Elicchi? Are you listening?” Nozomi gave Eli a nudge, abruptly pulling her from her fantasy.

“Sorry, what?”

“I was asking you what happened with Karin.”

“Oh, I don’t actually know,” Eli said. “She didn’t tell me over the phone, but she told me it has something to do with Karin’s ‘nature,’ as she put it, and that another kid’s parents are there, too.”

The couple was led to the principal’s office once they arrived. The overpowering stench of alpha musk and just-bred omega hit them the moment they walked in, and Eli recognized the smells from this morning, when she met the omega Mari. Sure enough, Mari was there, and someone else who was presumably her partner. The alpha was as tall as Eli, with long blue locks and a friendly demeanor, though, as alphas, there was instant tension between them regardless of appearances.

“Mama! Mom!” Karin, who was seated in front of the principal’s desk, turned around the moment she scented her parents. Her face and arms were furry and her little teeth long and sharp, likely a reaction to the unfamiliar scent of Mari’s partner, or so Eli assumed. Her eyes were red and damp from crying.

Nozomi stroked her daughter’s pointy ear affectionately. “Hello, little cub. Got yourself into some trouble?”

Mari’s daughter was there, too, looking tiny and fearful in her chair, and another child, a beta boy, was also there with his parents. The boy’s hand was bandaged up, and his mother and father glowered at Eli. Eli chose not to return their silent challenge and instead turned to the principal.

“Okay, we’re here,” she said. “What happened?”

Sakamoto-san nodded. “Yes, well, at lunchtime, your daughter Karin here _bit_ this boy...”

“I was just protecting her!” Karin butted in, her voice shrill with indignation.

“Easy, love.” Nozomi’s voice was gentle. “We’ll listen to you, too, okay? Let her finish.”

“As I was saying, Karin bit the boy hard enough to break the skin and draw blood,” said Sakamoto. “Obviously this is a concerning development. I understand that people of your nature have unique struggles, and I can assure you we will do our best to accommodate Karin, but we will require your cooperation in curbing this behavior, as well.”

“Of course,” said Eli. “I was once a young alpha, I know what it’s like. Nozomi and I are doing the best that we can to raise her up right, but sometimes nature can get the best of people like us, especially when we’re young. Still, I do want to apologize-”

“We know perfectly well what _people like you_ are capable of,” snapped the boy’s father.

The shifters in the room bristled at the man’s words. Karin, who was already struggling to maintain her composure, instantly lost control. She snarled like a miniature beast and launched herself from her chair, straight at the offending beta. Nozomi, quick on her feet, snatched her daughter back just as soon as she left the chair. She crushed the thrashing, roaring child to her chest, heedless of the little claws that raked her skin or the appalled eyes of the betas present.

“You see? They’re animals.” The beta man stepped towards the principal, the threat evident in his body language. “If it was up to me, I’d-”

“Daddy, please,” the little boy whimpered. “I’m scared! Let’s just go home, she only bit me because I...”

“We’re not going home until someone agrees to take responsibility for this!”

The boy fell silent and turned away from the scene, and his mother did likewise. Eli, despite herself, felt the energy surging through her body, and she began to shift.

“I was _going_ to take responsibility!” she growled. “I _am_ taking it! But you just had to get your little rant in, didn’t you?”

“You think I-”

“ _Enough!_ ”

Mari’s partner, who thus far had remained silent, roared the command. Eli and the beta man immediately fell silent, and only the furious growls of Karin persisted. The blue alpha woman crossed her arms impatiently.

“I don’t want to spend all day listening to this,” she said. “I’ll pay for your boy’s injury, since it was my daughter who indirectly caused all this mess. Okay? Will that make you happy? Great, then let’s go home.” She flicked a business card at the beta couple and turned to leave without a second glance. Her partner and her daughter followed her out.

The raw confidence the other alpha exuded was almost threatening to Eli, but really, she was more impressed than anything. The argumentative beta was still fuming in silence, and the principal had been lost for words for some time now. Eli bowed respectfully to Sakamoto-san, muttering, “Sorry for this.” She motioned for Nozomi to follow, and they, too, left the room.

On the way out, Karin still clung to Nozomi, and her growls eventually slowed and turned to sobs as she took in her mother’s soothing scent. The raw energy that coursed through her little body was too much to bear, and she began to wail pitifully, her cries some ugly mix of human and animal.

“Mama! Mama…!”

Nozomi rubbed gentle circles in her baby’s furry back. “There now, little cub, it’s alright. Mama’s here...”

Eli’s heart ached seeing her little girl so distressed. She’d gone through the same things as a child, and remembered all too well how overwhelming it felt to suddenly lose control of her own body, to be left with no other choice but to give in to pure, base instinct.

“Hey!”

Mari and her partner were standing at the gates, apparently waiting for Eli and her family. The alpha woman offered her hand to Eli.

“I’m Kanan Matsuura of Aqours,” she said. “My daughter Ai told me your daughter attacked that boy when he tried to put glue in her hair.” She chuckled at that. “Maybe her reaction was over the top, but I guess I should still thank your girl for looking out for mine, right? How is she?”

Eli accepted Kanan’s handshake. “Eli Ayase, and this is my wife, Nozomi. Karin is… okay. She’s coming down now, I think. Listen, though, thank you for what you did back there. I thought I might lose control, too.” She bowed her head with shame. “And you don’t have to worry about paying for the boy’s injury. It was my child that did it, so I should be the one paying for it.”

“Don’t sweat it,” said Kanan. “You’re members of one of the top packs around here, right? Consider it a peace offering, from my pack to yours. Does that sound good to you?”

A peace offering? Nothing in Kanan nor Mari’s tone, body language, or scent betrayed any sort of ulterior motives; in fact, they came across as nothing but downright friendly. Nozomi smiled her approval at Eli, and so Eli decided to accept.

“Thank you, Matsuura-san. I accept your offering.”

They shook hands again to seal the deal before parting ways, and Eli, while still a bit hesitant, was glad at least she might have a friend in Aqours.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank yall so much for reading and commenting and being so positive, it makes me happier than you know to get that kind of response. this chapter doesn't have a lot of action but i felt it was necessary to introduce some things.
> 
> also hmu if any of yall were at mtac this past weekend

Maki muffled her screams with the crinkly hospital pillow as Nico rammed her relentlessly over the cot. Every instinct in her body demanded that she push back and take every last drop of Nico’s precious seed, and Nico, too, wanted nothing more than to blast it all inside her. It was agonizing, then, to have to pull away from each other for Nico to release with a sweet cry over the fur of Maki’s back.

“Nico-chan...”

Nico ran her hands up and down the velvety red of her mate’s sides for a while, working to bring them down from the high of their orgasms, though if Nico stuck around too long she’d be forced to go again, what with the sultry scent of Maki’s heat hanging so heavy in the air.

“Stay there, Maki, I’ll clean you up.”

She found some hand wipes in the bathroom, and figured those were good enough for freshening up her lover’s spunky fur. Maki, to her surprise, moaned softly as she wiped up the mess.

“Don’t tell me you’re getting turned on from this,” Nico said.

“I’m in heat, in case you forgot,” Maki snapped. “...Do you _have_ to go, Nico?”

Maki sat up finally, and while she avoided Nico’s eyes, it was plain from the deep pink color of her cheeks and the way she chewed her lip and shifted her hips that she was already desperate to have Nico back inside her. The little alpha couldn’t help but feel a bit smug at forcing her to wait.

“Yeah, I have to go right now because I promised Eli I’d pick Karin up from school,” she said. “You gonna be okay to work like this?”

“I don’t have a choice,” Maki replied. “I’m in charge today. There’s no one to cover for me.”

The thought of Maki trying to work and deal with patients while so desperately aroused was an exciting enough thought to keep Nico’s cock tingling even after she’d left. Nothing was sweeter or more stimulating than her little red devil in heat; seeing and hearing cool, tough Maki melt beneath her touch was one of life’s greatest pleasures. But the time to think about driving her mate mad quickly drew to a close once Nico arrived at Karin’s school.

Children were already leaving the building in droves, and Nico wasn’t sure how to find Karin amidst the crowd. So she turned to her nose, which always served her well (she had the most sensitive one in the pack), and was alarmed to catch the scent of Karin mingling with the musk of an unknown alpha. Sleek black fur burst from her skin almost immediately as she rounded the corner, and there she spotted the strange alpha leaning against the wall next to little Karin.

Nico didn’t have time to think – her body reacted instantly and instinctively. She sprang at the other alpha with a roar, fangs bared in a ferocious display of fury. Her opponent shifted just as quickly as Nico, and the two of them wrestled and clawed at each other, snarling, both trying to gain the upper hand. Nico, unfortunately, was much smaller, and she thought her heart might burst out of her chest when she realized that she was losing, and the larger alpha was so close to forcing her to the ground.

Suddenly, Karin was there, shifted and screeching like an angry cub, and she forced her way in between Nico and Kanan. Both combatants backed off from each other at the young alpha’s interference, instead preferring to growl their threats from a distance.

When it became clear that Karin was familiar with Nico, Kanan said, “I thought you were coming to kill them.” She went to her daughter, Ai, who was also shifted and teary-eyed, and lifted her up into her arms.

“I thought the same thing,” Nico replied. She held fast to Karin, who was breathing heavily in between short, sharp warning barks. The child was frenzied now, and she needed to be home with her mother.

“I am Kanan Matsuura of the Aqours pack,” said Kanan. “I met Ayase-san yesterday in the principal’s office. Our girls are getting along, so I thought we’d wait here with Karin until her mother came.”

For once in her life, Nico didn’t have the patience to go through with the whole “Nico Nico Nii” introduction. “I’m Nico,” she said. “Sorry I attacked you, but I had no idea who you were. I thought you were about to abduct her or kill her. I need to get her home now, she’s getting too worked up. Thanks for thinking of her, at least.”

Kanan didn’t seem too put off by Nico’s curt tone. It was a simple misunderstanding, after all. “I would hope someone would do the same for my girl.”

Nico carried Karin home bridal-style, as Eli once instructed her to do, since Nico herself was too small to lift the child any other way. Karin didn’t object to being carried, but she was tense and growled and snarled at seemingly nothing, and, honestly, it scared Nico. It was one thing to go through young alphahood herself; watching someone else experience it was another matter entirely. She remembered how her father always knew just how to handle her during her fits, and how safe she felt when he held her once they were over.

Kids were evidently heavier than they looked, and Nico’s arms were tired and burning when they finally arrived home. Luckily Karin was calm enough by then for Nico to allow her back on the ground. She clung to Nico’s waist, still breathing hard but lucid enough not to lose control again. Nozomi was in the kitchen when they stepped inside, and she met them with a smile.

“What took you two so long? I was starting to get- Oh!” She let the dishes she was washing clatter back into the sink when she saw little Karin shifted and panting, and the spatter of blood on Nico’s favorite pink cardigan. She rushed over and swept Karin up. “Nicocchi, what happened to you?!”

“A, uh, misunderstanding,” Nico said. She touched the bloody spot on her cardigan and sighed. “I met a – Matsuura? - at Karin’s school. She said she met you yesterday, so she was waiting with Karin, but I didn’t know that, so I attacked her.”

“Oh, Matsuura-san? Hmm.” Nozomi swayed gently with Karin. Her motherly scent had already worked wonders on the girl, who now breathed deep and steady, and whose fur was beginning to fade. “You did the right thing, Nicocchi. I don’t think Matsuura-san would hurt Karin, but I’m proud to know you protected her.”

Nico tried to be humble, but her chest swelling with pride every time she received a compliment was likely involuntary at this point. “Of course I protected her! That’s my baby niece!”

Nozomi shuffled into the living room and eased Karin onto the sofa. The girl was getting far too heavy for her to carry, truly, but Nozomi decided to savor every last moment holding her baby before she _really_ grew big and heavy. Karin was calm now, though her eyes were downcast.

“Mama,” she said, “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to make Nico and Matsuura-san fight. And I didn’t mean to shift again.”

“That wasn’t your fault at all, little cub,” Nozomi assured her. “It was just a misunderstanding. Nicocchi and Matsuura-san both did the right thing for you.”

Nozomi got Karin a drink and left her to watch TV for a bit while she and Nico returned to the kitchen. Nico shrugged out of her cardigan and was distressed to find that some of the blood had seeped through to the white shirt underneath.

“Is that your blood?” Nozomi asked.

“No, I’m not hurt,” said Nico. “Not bad enough to bleed like that, anyway. I must have got that other alpha pretty good, though. I didn’t even pay attention to what I was doing, really, I was just trying to get her away from Karin. If she’s your friend I guess I should probably apologize sometime...”

“That would probably be best, Nicocchi,” Nozomi chuckled. “We wouldn’t want to have that other pack angry at us. Especially when she was only trying to help.”

“Well, I know that _now_.”

Nico went off to do laundry, hoping her well-loved cardigan was still salvageable. Nozomi returned to Karin once she was done washing the dishes, and was alarmed to find the girl watching a racy movie on TV. An omega shifted wildly on the screen, and apparently feared for her safety as a tough-looking alpha entered the room. Nozomi cleared her throat.

“What are you watching, little cub?”

“I dunno, just some movie,” Karin replied.

The omega begged and pleaded as the alpha approached and grabbed her, snarling, and shoved her against the wall. Nozomi’s heart thumped harder at the sight, and when the alpha struck the omega, claws open, across the face, Nozomi at last made the executive decision to turn the TV off.

“Let’s not watch that,” she said, her voice wavering ever so slightly. “An alpha should never treat an omega like that.”

“What? Mama!” Karin whined. “I wanted to know what happened! It’s just a movie, it’s not _real_.”

Nozomi pursed her lips and seated herself on the couch beside her daughter. Said daughter took this as an invitation to cuddle, and crawled into her mama’s lap, pouting. Nozomi kissed her and ran her fingers through her hair, reveling in the soft scent of her little one, a unique blend of Eli’s scent and her own.

“Little cub... Karin,” said Nozomi. “When you grow up, you’ll be stronger than any beta or omega. Not every alpha is like Mommy, either. There are some very, very bad alphas out there, and I don’t ever want you to think that the way they act is normal. That’s why I don’t want you to watch shows like that. I want you to grow up to use your strength responsibly.”

Karin leaned her head against Nozomi’s chest, contemplating her words as best a 7 year-old could. “Mama,” she said after a time, “you smell like you’re afraid.”

Karin was getting better at detecting and identifying nuances in scent, it seemed. “Just afraid for your future,” Nozomi quickly replied. “I always want you to be a good little alpha.”

“I will, Mama.”

 

Eli, Nico, and Karin ventured out after dinner to deliver an apology gift to Kanan. Honoka provided them with some prime sweets from her family’s shop that were certain, she said, to pull Muse back into Aqours’ favor. The Aqours pack’s home was larger even than the Muse pack’s, and there was a swimming pool out back. 

“Must be loaded,” Nico muttered.

“No kidding,” Eli said. She knocked on the door, but then noticed the doorbell, and pressed that instead.

It took a moment, but the door was eventually answered by a woman who looked for all the world like the gentlest being on the planet. Despite such a soft, shy demeanor, Eli knew right away she was an alpha from the scent emanating from her. It was a light, sweet musk similar to Rin’s, and not at all like Kanan’s, which was sharp and overpowering. The woman seemed alarmed to have so many other alphas on her doorstep after dark.

“Um… Excuse me, who are you? Do you have some business here?” she asked.

“Hi there, my name is Eli Ayase,” said Eli. “We’re from the Muse pack down the block. Matsuura-san lives here, right? We’re here to deliver a gift for her.”

The woman stared at them for a bit, uncertainty evident in her golden eyes. Finally, she said, “Okay, just give me a minute, then.” She closed the door so that it was open just a crack, but Eli and the others could still hear her speaking to someone inside. “Setsuna, go and get Kanan, please… Yes. Yes, _right now_.”

A minute or two passed before the unmistakable musk of Kanan hit the trio on the porch. Nico wrinkled her nose and felt her skin begin to prickle, and Eli gave her a warning nudge. The blue alpha finally opened the door up after exchanging some hushed words with the woman who’d answered the door. Eli noticed the bandages on Kanan’s forearm, and was silently impressed that little Nico was able to leave a wound bad enough to require a dressing on such a bigger alpha.

“Oh, it’s you guys!” Kanan said. “Riko here had me thinking we were about to be robbed or something. Haha! Come in, come in!”

The overwhelming scent of the Aqours household made Eli want to leave just as soon as she walked in. She herself knew that there was no danger, but her body insisted that there was an immediate, inescapable threat, and she felt the energy of an oncoming shift surge through her body. Nico and Karin were on edge as well, particularly Karin, as she had trouble controlling her shifts at the best of times.

Kanan must have sensed their unease. “Oh… Sorry, I forgot, it’s probably hard for you to be in here,” she said. “I’m just not used to actually having other alphas – heck, even omegas – as friends. But yeah, would you rather talk outside?”

Eli nodded. “Yes, sorry, outside is probably best.”

The Aqours children had already noticed Karin, however, and called out for her to come and play.

“Kaaaariiiin!” Ai waved to her friend, a huge grin on her face. At home, it seemed, she was no longer the shy, weepy girl she was at school. Now she looked even more like Mari, with a playful sort of confidence about her. “Karin, come here! Riri just got us a new game!”

“It’s _my_ game,” an older girl reminded Ai. “I’m just letting you play it.”

Yet another girl, one with long, dark hair, flicked the older girl’s arm. “Be quiet, Ayumu, you know games are public property around here!”

Karin clearly wanted to go and join the other girls, but the dense, unfamiliar scent in the room made her stay put. Eli stroked her daughter’s hair and gave her a little tickle under the chin, and was satisfied when Karin cracked a smile.

“Go on and play,” Eli said. “Here. Take Mommy’s jacket.”

Karin accepted the jacket and buried her face in it, basking in the security of her mother’s scent. “Thanks, Mommy.” At a nod from Eli, Karin went off to see what all the fuss was about this new game.

Eli and Nico were also more than ready to get away from the threatening scent, so Kanan led them outside once more. The fresh, outdoor air brought them significant relief, even with the lurking stench of Aqours’ scent markers on the property. Kanan leaned against the porch railing, and Eli and Nico did likewise.

“So, again, what brings you here?” Kanan asked. “I don’t mind you stopping by, of course, but I get the feeling you weren’t just coming to say hello.”

“I just wanted to apologize for this afternoon,” said Eli. “I forgot to tell Nico about our meeting yesterday, so she thought you were a complete stranger. I appreciate you looking after Karin, though. And you, too, Nico.”

Kanan laughed and rubbed her bandage. “Hah! Don’t worry about it,” she said. “You’re a pretty good fighter, though, Nico! Lucky I’m bigger than you or I’d be in the hospital!”

Nico, embarrassed, kicked at a leaf that skittered across the porch. “Well, what did you expect from the number one alpha in the universe?” She plopped the bag of sweets into Kanan’s hands. “This is from us.”

Kanan peered inside and her face lit up. “Oh, wow! You didn’t have to do this! These are so cute, the girls are gonna love it.” She took a little chocolate for herself and popped it in her mouth. “By the way, since you’re here, there’s something I actually wanted to ask you about.”

Eli accepted a sweet when Kanan offered her the bag. “Really? What is it?”

“Well, I’m not familiar with all the alphas and omegas around these parts,” said Kanan. “Since three or four days ago, I keep smelling two specific alphas around my property, and I don’t like it. The scent’s always the strongest first thing in the morning, like they’ve been outside the house all night. It scares me, you know? We’ve got a lot of kids here, and I’m trying to have another baby with Mari. So I was wondering if maybe you’d stop by one morning and check it out with me? Maybe you’ll recognize the scent.”

“Sheesh, that explains all the scent markers,” Nico said, and held her nose for emphasis.

Eli just shook her head at Nico. “She’s got a sensitive nose,” she explained to Kanan. “But of course I’ll help you out. This has been my territory for a long time, and I don’t want intruders around any more than you do. Why don’t we meet up after the kids go to school in the morning?”

“Sounds good to me,” Kanan agreed.

 

It was quite a chore to separate Karin and the Aqours children. Eli didn’t anticipate that much whining from her normally well-behaved girl, but she supposed it was only natural. After all, the only other child like her in the area was Honoka’s daughter Kasumi, and Kasumi was family. Nozomi was happy to hear that Karin was getting along well with them, and even suggested some unsupervised playdates.

“No, definitely not,” was Eli’s response to that.

“Elicchi, you’re too strict,” said Nozomi. “Karin needs to be out playing with other girls her age, not tethered to you all the time. I don’t want her to grow up feeling isolated.”

“They can always hang out at school,” came Eli’s weak reply, but she knew she was about to lose. Nozomi knew all about isolation.

“That’s not enough and you know it,” Nozomi said, fixing her wife with an uncharacteristically hard gaze. “Karin’s going to grow up whether you like it or not, and I’d prefer that she learn how to have healthy friendships and relationships early on. She can’t learn to relate to real-life people on her own if we supervise her every move and keep her at home all the time.” She found Eli’s hand and squeezed it, perhaps to take some of the edge off her words. “You’re a good influence on her, Elicchi, but she has to learn to apply what she picks up from you. Just today I caught her watching movie on TV where an alpha was abusing an omega, and she didn’t understand why I turned it off.”

“To be fair to her, Nozomi, she’s only seven, and she doesn’t know about your past,” said Eli. “I doubt she even knows alphas like that actually exist in real life. To her, that kind of thing only happens in movies.” After a brief pause, Eli decided to roll herself on top of Nozomi and bury her face in her neck. The scent of her was so sensual even when she wasn’t in heat. “I’m tired of arguing now.”

“Jeez, Elicchi...” Nozomi didn’t object, of course, to Eli’s lips on the sensitive flesh of her throat.

Since Rin and Hanayo were banished to the apartment (which was not, in fact, an apartment, but a cozy shed in the backyard which the pack used to isolate themselves when in heat), Eli’s head was clear. Making love to Nozomi in a normal state, free of the rut’s mind-clouding, frenzy-inducing hormones, was always an amazingly satisfying experience. When she was like this, she found herself better able to focus on all the ways Nozomi made her feel, from the deep, nearly overwhelming love that welled in her chest, to the hot, slick walls that so divinely enveloped her.

Eli hoped morning wouldn’t come too soon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rather quick chapter

Kanan’s lips fluttered over her mate’s belly in a silent bid for a new, tiny life to take root and grow there. Mari watched her, for once without that smug smirk of hers. Kanan’s earnest expression was sweet, and attractive, but Mari could smell just the faintest hint of something else coming off of her – not quite fear, but something closer to Kanan’s territorial musk. Jealousy, maybe? Mari reached down to stroke Kanan’s hair.

“Kanan-chan… Having a baby won’t change Dia’s feelings, you know.”

Kanan’s head whipped up, and she no longer looked so happy. “What are you talking about? Dia has nothing to do with this. I want to have another child with you.”

Mari’s signature smirk was slowly returning. “You didn’t want to have a baby so bad until you found out Dia mated with me again.”

The alpha sat back, eyes anywhere but on Mari. “She had no right...”

“Well, Kanan, as they say – it takes two to tango,” said Mari. “If you blame Dia, then you should blame me just as much.”

“You were in heat, Mari,” said Kanan. “I don’t really expect lucid decisions from you in heat.”

“And Dia was rutting,” Mari shot back. “Look, Kanan-chan, I love you. I love you more than anyone else in the world… well, except maybe Ai. But my bond with Dia isn’t just gonna dissolve overnight because you want it to. She loved you, too, you know.”

“I know that...” Kanan’s eyes finally found Mari’s, and they were full of doubt. “But I only really ever thought of her as a friend. A close friend, and a trusted one, but still just a friend. I want to marry _you_ , Mari. And I don’t want to share, not anymore.” She inched closer and gripped at the sheets. “Besides… What if you do end up pregnant, but it’s Dia’s and not mine?”

“I’ll raise and love my baby no matter who its father is,” Mari replied. “Here’s a better question: what will _you_ do if it’s Dia’s and not yours?”

The stunned Kanan was grateful for the knock on the bedroom door that interrupted their uncomfortable and emotionally-charged pillow talk. Mari pulled her nightdress back down over her body, and Kanan got into her PJ pants before answering the door. Ai was there looking hopeful.

“Papa? Is it okay if-” The girl stopped when the stench of her parents’ mating session hit her. “Eeugh! Why does it always smell so weird in here lately?!”

“Whoops, sorry.” Kanan stepped out and shut the bedroom door to shield her child from the potent just-bred musk. “Anyway, what did you need to ask?”

“Was the soap I got you for your birthday not enough?” Ai muttered as she took another step back. “A-anyway, Papa… Can I stay over at Karin’s house tonight?”

“Of course you can,” Kanan said. “Is Setsuna going, too?”

Ai nodded. “Yeah! Is it okay for us to walk together? Since you said there are no more alphas around here?”

It’d been three days since the Aqours and Muse alphas went on their patrol together. They found very little that day barring the stale scents of the unknown alpha pair, and some of Dia’s scent markers indicating she was still in the area. Together, the group sprinkled practically the entire neighborhood, and the alpha pair had not returned since. This place was no Uchiura, for sure, but with the strange alphas gone for the time being and Dia still roaming about the area, Kanan decided it was more than reasonable to allow Ai some independence.

“Yeah, you can, just be careful. If anything happens, remember to let yourself shift and run as fast as you can! And don’t forget to pack extra socks and undies and brush your teeth before bed!”

“We will, Papa! Love you!”

 

Eli, Nozomi, and Honoka were on dinner duty at the Muse home. The kitchen was buzzing with laughter and sizzling and good smells, but Karin was more focused on when her friends would arrive. She sat near the window with Kasumi and Kotori and Umi, the latter of whom was sipping on milk at Kotori’s request.

“Calcium deficiency is a serious problem for pregnant omegas,” Kotori said.

“I know that,” said Umi. “I’m the one who told you that, remember?”

Karin studied Umi’s round belly with interest. There was a baby inside, she knew, and Umi said it was due to come out very soon. Sometimes she would allow Karin to touch her belly and feel the faint flutters and bumps of the little one inside, and it was fascinating. According to Nozomi, Karin herself grew like that in her tummy, and Kasumi in Kotori’s. Karin wondered…

“Hey, what’s heat, anyway?”

That one earned her a snort from Nico, though Karin, being only seven years old, couldn’t imagine why. Kotori locked eyes with Eli, whose face expressed about as much horror as Kotori needed to know. The ashen omega smiled tenderly at Karin, and at her Kasumi, who also seemed rather interested.

“Heat is...” She began, and had to pause for a bit to gather some age-appropriate words. “Heat is what makes omegas shift and nest every month or two.”

“I know that part,” said Karin. “But what _is_ it, like why?”

“Well...” Kotori met Eli’s eyes again, and this time the blonde alpha stepped up to the plate. Or tried.

“Karin, love, heat is when… It’s how an alpha- Er, well, when omegas emit a, uh-”

“Heat is when an omega’s body prepares to have a baby,” Nozomi said, collected as ever. “She gets restless and needs to nest with her alpha for a few days, maybe a week, and then afterwards she might be pregnant.”

Karin slapped her hand down on the table as sudden clarity hit her. “I knew it! That’s what happened with Umi,” she said, completely heedless of the now-dramatic red color of Umi’s face. “She went to the apartment one time with Honoka, and now she’s having a baby. And Rin and Hanayo just got back from the apartment, and they keep talking about having a baby now. Makes perfect sense!”

Kasumi nodded her understanding, as well. “You’re right!”

The doorbell rang, then, and the two little ones ran off to answer it. Eli finally released the breath she didn’t realize she was holding, and Nozomi giggled.

“Elicchi, you don’t have to be so uptight,” she said. “It’s only natural that she would wonder. She doesn’t have to learn about the nitty-gritty details just yet, either, so I think my explanation was just fine. Don’t you?”

“I agree,” said Honoka. “And you probably just saved us from having to explain it to Kasumi later. Gee, Nozomi, you just know how to do everything, don’t you?”

“I try.”

 

To children, even the most mundane of spaces can easily become wondrous playgrounds, as children have not yet become bored with everyday things. So it was for Karin and her friends, who immediately put the Muse pack’s sizeable backyard to use. The singular tree, outfitted with a swing, was their first destination. Karin climbed up to the first solid branch and declared herself the prime alpha of the land.

“Oh yeah?” Setsuna threw an acorn at her friend (and missed). “Well, I challenge you, prime alpha!”

“I accept!” Karin skidded back down the tree and puffed out her chest. “But I’m the strongest alpha there is! I won’t go down so easy!”

The imaginary scenario, of course, was merely a creative excuse to roughhouse as young shifters do. To beta eyes and sensibilities, the play they engaged in was far too rough, far too violent, and perhaps for beta children it was. But baby alphas and omegas played like little pups – with teeth and claws bared and plenty of pushing and shoving and biting. Bites and scratches were tempered, obviously, to ensure no _real_ damage was done; their form of play, like that of young animals, was meant to be fun and educational, a childish simulation of real, adult combat.

Karin’s playfighting skills were certainly worthy of the “prime alpha” title, as she pinned Setsuna to the ground with ease, even while the other girl struggled and growled beneath her. Ai decided to rescue her packmate, then, and tackled Karin, knocking her sideways and freeing Setsuna to grab hold of both of them. The three of them rolled about on the ground, laughing and growling, and fur began to show on their bodies as they shifted from the vibrant energy of their game.

They were so engrossed in their match that they did not notice little Kasumi standing stiff with her fur all bristled with fear. Something was off, and only Kasumi seemed to smell it. Finally, she came to her senses and cried out to her friends.

“Stop! Stop! I smell blood!”

The fighting trio sensed the urgency in Kasumi’s voice, and they separated from each other, panting. Karin stood and dusted the grass and debris from her clothes.

“I don’t smell any blood...” she said as she checked herself for any accidental injuries. Setsuna and Ai did likewise, but no one seemed to be hurt.

“It’s not coming from any of you,” Kasumi said. “It smells farther away. But I smell it. Come over here.”

They followed Kasumi to the edge of the yard, and all three strained to smell the mystery blood. The scent was there, if faint, but even from a distance the disgustingly sweet tang of it set the girls on edge. Karin, despite her instinctive surge of fear, also felt somehow emboldened by the prospect of a _real_ adventure, and decided to rally her friends to investigate.

“We should go check out the smell!” she said. “I bet we’ll find something cool, like a dead deer or something.”

Setsuna glanced back at the house, clearly reluctant to embark on Karin’s risky quest. “I don’t know… Maybe we should just tell your parents. What if there’s... _something_ out there?”

Ai, on the other hand, was all on board. She jabbed Setsuna’s arm, a teasing smile much like her mother’s on her lips. “Oh, come on, Setsuna! Don’t be such a scaredy-cat! Karin’s right, it’s probably just a dead animal.”

And that was how they bullied do-gooder Setsuna into joining them on their play blood hunt. They crossed through several neighbors’ backyards until they came at last to a residential road. Across the street was a wide open park, with a playground for children in the center. The blood scent was stronger than ever, and even Karin and Ai, previously so fearless, found themselves bristling and bordering on complete shift. Kasumi flat-out refused to cross the road.

“Sorry, I can’t go over there,” she said. “I… I… I have to go pee-pee!” She turned and dashed off in the direction of home, leaving the others no time to convince her to stay.

Underlying the smell of blood was the stink of fear and the musk of some alphas Karin did not recognize. After they crossed the street into the park, Ai grabbed Karin’s hand, her eyes huge and fearful.

“Karin, something’s... really wrong,” she said. “Let’s hurry!”

The girls ran as fast as they could towards the playground, from which the stench was radiating. There they found the source – a horrific sight to behold, and doubly so for three young children. Dia lay beside the swingset, clothing and black fur so mangled and sticky with blood that it was impossible to tell just how many of those ugly gashes she’d sustained. Karin froze the moment she laid eyes on the dying alpha, though her body screamed at her to run.

“Auntie!”

Ai rushed to Dia and threw herself onto the ground beside her. “Auntie! Auntie!” Great sobs wracked her little body, and Karin could _smell_ her anguish.

It was too much – the sight of the ravaged woman, the overwhelming scent of blood and fear and alpha musk, the heartbroken cries of her friend… Karin at last gave in to her body’s basest urges for self-preservation and ran for her life, screaming as raw fear overtook her.

“Little cub!”

Karin crashed into her mother, desperately clinging to her in an attempt to bury herself as deep as possible into her protective scent. She didn’t know how Nozomi got there, and she didn’t care, either. The world around her was a disaster of frightful scents and pounding feet and shouting voices, but Mama was her anchor. Mama would keep her safe no matter what.

 

“Looks like we’ve got Karin to thank again for looking out for us.”

Mari looked as somber as Eli had ever seen her. She’d only known her a week, of course, but it was still jarring to see her so humorless. Kanan was no better, with eyes red and weepy to match her daughter’s. The entire Aqours pack was a sorry sight, but Eli felt the worst of all for little Ai, who should never have laid eyes on her “Auntie” in such a state. Currently, it was just Eli, Kanan, and Mari in the agonizingly quiet ER waiting room.

“I’m serious,” Mari continued. “If the kids hadn’t decided to be so naughty and chase after a blood scent, Dia might already be dead.”

“I _want_ to say I wish I kept a better eye on them,” said Eli, “but I guess it was for the best this time. I’m so sorry, Mari, Kanan.”

“It’s my fault.” Kanan rubbed her eyes and sniffled a bit. “If I didn’t yell at her she would never have left, and this would never...”

“No sense blaming yourself, darling,” said Mari. “None of us could have predicted or prevented this, after all. The blame is one hundred-percent on those pesky alphas, whoever they are.”

“I’m not even sure if the police will do much,” said Eli. “In my experience, they tend to stay out of shifter affairs...” 

Kanan and Mari both nodded. It must have been much the same in Uchiura, then. The three of them stayed silent for a while, contemplating the situation while the ER’s wall clock ticked the minutes away. It startled Eli when suddenly the doors opened and Riko entered with Ayumu. She handed Mari and Kanan some drinks and, when she realized she forgot to get one for Eli, bashfully offered her own. Eli politely declined.

“You need it more,” she said.

“Thanks, Eli.” Riko turned to her packmates. “If you two want to head on home now with Ayumu, I can stay here a while longer. Yocchan called and told me Ai really needs you there. So...”

The couple nodded and stood up.

“Thanks again for everything, Eli,” said Kanan. “It means a lot.”

“Of course. Just let me know if you need anything, alright?” said Eli. “Call anytime.”

Ayumu hugged Riko goodbye before she left with Mari and Kanan. “I love you, Mama,” she said. “Good night.”

Eli turned to Riko once they were gone, the question she didn’t quite want to ask written plain on her face. Riko chuckled.

“I know what you’re thinking,” the red alpha said. “I had her when I was very young. I was still Chika’s mate back then… First love, you know?”

“Oh, I was wondering, since no one ever explicitly told me whose child she was, and you looked a bit young to have a child that age,” said Eli. There sure were a lot of complicated relationships in the Aqours pack.

Eli and Riko chatted for a while, but when eight o’clock rolled around, the texts began to pour in. So she said goodbye to Riko and wished her family well, then headed home to her own family. Nozomi was in the bedroom, wrapped in the blanket with Karin nestled snugly against her chest. Eli changed into her favorite nightie and slipped into the bed with them. She kissed Nozomi first, welcoming the feel of her lips after such an unexpectedly rough day, and then kissed the top of little Karin’s head.

“Mommy...” Karin rolled over to face Eli, blue eyes so big and sorrowful. “I’m sorry I went there without asking… It was so scary.”

Eli couldn’t help but kiss her little one again. “Oh, Karin… You must _always_ come to us first if you sense something is wrong, especially if you smell blood. What you did was so dangerous! What if those alphas that got Ai’s auntie were still there? They would’ve gotten you, too!”

Karin bowed her head with shame, and felt a little lump form in her throat. Mommy was right, of course, and Karin was embarrassed to never have considered the consequences of her actions. Lucky Mama was also there to soften the blow.

“I’ll tell you this, too, little cub,” said Nozomi. “Everything played out exactly as it was meant to today. If you hadn’t found Ai’s auntie when you did, and if Kasumi hadn’t run back here to tell us where you were, then Dia-san might have really died! But fate isn’t always so kind, so make sure to follow Mommy’s advice, too, okay?”

“Yes, Mama.”

 

Only Honoka and Kotori remained after midnight. Everyone else retired to bed earlier than usual, except for Umi, who always went to bed early. The pack decided that a night watch was necessary in light of the day’s tragic events, and Honoka was the first to volunteer, as she had tomorrow off of work. Kotori offered to take the watch as well to keep her mate awake. A convoluted romance movie played on the TV while the couple cuddled together, talking softly.

“I’m really proud of Kasumi, you know,” Honoka said. “For coming back here when she knew something was really wrong, I mean. I think we should reward her somehow tomorrow!”

“Oh, I agree,” said Kotori. “It must mean we’re raising her right, huh? Hehe!”

Honoka touched foreheads with her lover, and Kotori recognized the glint of mischief in her eyes.

“If we’re doing such a good job, then maybe we should just have another!”

“Honoka-chan!” Kotori laughed and playfully slapped at the hands that snaked up her sides. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, now. Umi’s going to give birth really soon, and we’ll have our hands full then without thinking of _another_ baby!”

“But it’ll be sooo cute to have two kids so close in age growing up together!” Honoka insisted. She peppered Kotori’s face and neck in kisses.

“When they get older? Yes,” replied Kotori. “When they’re still tiny, needy babies? Absolutely not!” The multitude of kisses managed to melt away her resistance to Honoka, but her resolve to _not_ have another baby remained intact, at least.

“Could be worse,” Honoka mumbled against Kotori’s neck. “Beta babies are even needier!” She punctuated her statement with a jab to her mate’s nethers.

“H-Honoka!”

Honoka was needy, too, it seemed, but Kotori was more than willing to give her some relief. There was something deeply arousing about making love there on the couch, in the open. When Nico woke up in the morning to watch her weekend soaps, she’d be none the wiser as to what had transpired on that very couch the night before. That was what Kotori’s lust-addled brain told her, anyway. In reality, everyone would smell it, but that didn’t matter.

What did matter was the reddened, swelling cock before her. She grabbed hold of it, drawing back the foreskin to flick her tongue at the sensitive underside. That earned her a dreamy sigh from Honoka and, emboldened, Kotori closed her lips around the head and lapped at the slit. She could smell Honoka’s musk stronger than ever now, and the sight of the fur poking through the skin sent a pleasant tingle through Kotori’s core.

“What the fuck are you guys doing?”

The couple both jumped and turned, alarmed, to the door. They forgot about Maki, damn it. The redhead stood there, looking absolutely done with life as Honoka scrambled to cover her dick. Maki dropped her bag and just shook her head as she passed them, eyes pointedly forward and avoiding the lewd sight of her friends.

“You’re supposed to be on watch, not- Actually, no. Don’t even bother saying anything,” she said. “I have seen _way_ too much today. Good night.”

Talk about a boner-killer. Honoka and Kotori decided to watch action movies, instead, since they wouldn’t be getting any tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is kinda filler-y but i have to keep the passion burning or else i'll never finish this story. thanks for reading friends

Worse than the pain and itching of knitting wounds, and the prison of the hospital bed and low-res daytime television, was knowing that her natural beauty, envy of alphas and omegas alike, would forever be marred by huge, ugly scars. It wouldn’t be so bad, she thought, if her wounds were restricted to just her torso, and perhaps upper arms and legs, as those areas could easily be covered with clothing, but she’d never be able to hide the marks on her face. The dressing there on her cheek was itchy and irritating, and the gashes beneath made it difficult to chew or talk without soreness.

Still, Dia was thankful to have at least escaped with her life. According to Mari, it was her darling little Ai and her friends who found her bloody and dying in the park nearly two weeks ago. The poor girl had to take a few days off of school to recover, and the thought made Dia’s heart ache. She’d have to make it up to her “niece” somehow once she was released.

Ten o’clock was the worst part of Dia’s day. That was when the nurses came to clean and redress her wounds, and she hated it not just because it was painful, but because the humiliation was so stinging. She sometimes forgot how squeamish betas could be about the fact that she had a penis, though she distinctly remembered being teased about it in school once the other children were old enough to understand the implications of alphahood. The young, green interns were the worst about it (one girl squealed when she saw it; she never returned to Dia’s room), while the more seasoned nurses managed to maintain a strained professionalism. Dia had heard that the hospital was owned by a family of shifters, and she wondered what sort of trouble she could stir up if she complained about her treatment.

Complaining was not wise when she was still so dependent on their care, though, so Dia endured her predicament with grace. At least she didn’t need any help to piss. Eleven o’clock was a happier hour, as that was when Dia’s sister Ruby came to visit. Sometimes she brought their friend Hanamaru, and other times she brought Mari, or Riko, or Chika, but Dia liked it best when it was just the two of them.

At eleven o’clock on this particular day, Ruby was nowhere to be found, but Mari did stop by.

“Where’s Ruby?” Dia asked. “She always comes right about now.”

When Mari perched on the edge of the hospital bed, Dia detected something peculiar in her scent, a trace sweeter and softer than even typical Mari.

“She told me to tell you that she didn’t forget about you, but she’s in heat now and can’t come,” said Mari. “Anyway, I thought I’d use our moment alone to drop the big news on you.”

“Big news?”

Mari laid her hand over Dia’s, careful not to disturb the dressing nearby. “I’m pregnant again,” she said. “It’s probably Kanan’s. But… there’s still that small possibility that it’s yours. I thought you might want to know.”

That explained the scent. It’d been years since anyone in the pack had a child, so Dia nearly forgot what a pregnant omega smelled like. She turned her hand over to hold Mari’s. “What do you plan to do if it is mine?”

The uncomfortably long pause before Mari replied made Dia’s heart thump.

“I’ve made up my mind, Dia,” Mari said at last. “I’m going to marry Kanan. But… I don’t want you to think I want you out of my life, because I don’t! Especially not if the baby is yours. Okay? We’ve always been together, Dia, and that should never change.”

“Kanan doesn’t seem to want me around anymore,” Dia muttered.

“She _does_ , Dia, believe me,” said Mari. “Kanan’s just frustrated, that’s all. But she wants you back home just as much as I do! You should have seen her the first night we brought you to the hospital. I thought she’d never stop crying!”

Dia remembered Kanan’s _fury_ when she found out about Dia’s mating with Mari. Never, in all of Dia’s years, did she ever expect Kanan to snap like she did, to shift and roar and raise her claws to her. That violent outburst was so unlike the kind blue alpha that Dia felt she must have crossed some invisible, nearly uncrossable line. So she left the Aqours house to roam for a bit and clear her head, though that was much harder to do here in the city compared to back home, where the wilds were never far.

“Well… I’ll come home if they ever let me out of here,” Dia said. “I hate it here, you know. These people wouldn’t recognize a fine alpha specimen if it slapped them in the face. And I wish I could!”

Mari giggled at that. “You know, this hospital is owned by the father of one of the Muse omegas! She works here, too, actually, so I’m sure they’d listen to you if you’re having problems with the staff.”

“I’d rather not rock the boat while they’re still regularly pumping pain meds into me,” Dia replied.

That made Mari laugh, too. “Well, Dia, I’m sure they’ll free you soon enough! Did they say anything about your injuries? You _look_ better, for sure.”

“They said they’ll probably be able to remove the stitches soon,” said Dia. “I’m still sore, though.”

Mari gave Dia’s hand one final squeeze before she pulled away. “Well, that’s always a good thing, right? Means you’re healing up well! I’ll come see you again tomorrow, okay? I’ve got to get going because Kanan forgot her lunch and I’ve gotta drop it off. Ciao!”

After Mari left the room, Dia sighed and flicked her eyes back up to the ancient television. Eight year-old reruns of a boring game show were on one channel, and a soap opera with the worst acting imaginable was on another. There was also the local news, and a channel experiencing technical difficulties. And to top it all off, Ruby was in heat, so she wouldn’t be able to visit for the next several days… Fuck the alphas that put her in this hell!

 

The Dia incident and subsequent signs of alpha activity in the neighborhood left Eli and her pack on edge. Just dropping Karin and Kasumi off at school was torturous; no one there was equipped to handle even one alpha, much less two rutting, aggressive ones, and thoughts of potential disaster haunted Eli. She spoke to Honoka about pulling the girls out of school until they got a handle on the situation, but Nozomi refused.

“Karin’s been so excited about her class play,” Nozomi said. “We can’t just pull her out now.”

“Nozomi, this is our child’s _life_ we’re talking about,” Eli said. “Aren’t you worried at all?”

“Of course I am, but the chance that they’ll attack Karin in school is so small,” Nozomi said. “There are too many people there, and they’ll be seen. Alphas who’ve stayed as well-hidden as they have aren’t going to risk that just to get at someone else’s child. Besides… I don’t want to disappoint Karin over something she won’t really understand.”

“I mean, I guess you have a point,” said Honoka. “But with Kasumi, it’s… She’s an omega, you know? So I worry more about her getting snatched up when no one’s looking than I do about someone just breaking in and killing her.”

Nozomi gave her friend a sympathetic nudge. “Why don’t you talk to Kotori and Umi about it instead? You don’t have to listen to me when it comes to your own child, you know.” When Honoka nodded, Nozomi turned to Eli. “As for you, Eli… Karin’s play is this weekend. If you _have_ to pull her out of school, can’t you at least wait until then? It’ll mean a lot to her.”

Eli sighed. On this issue, it seemed, she wouldn’t be able to fuck Nozomi into changing her mind. “Alright, fine. But if something happens...”

“Nothing will happen, Elicchi. The cards are never wrong.”

While it was true that Nozomi was always spot-on when it came to divination, Eli couldn’t help but feel that it was superstitious and a little more than reckless to entrust their daughter’s life to unseen spiritual forces. Nozomi, of course, looked completely confident, and was content to let the subject drop.

Honoka let it go, too, but for a different reason. “Hey, uh, by the way, you guys are on grocery duty today. If you don’t mind, could you pick up some tangerines for Umi? She’s been tearing through them for some reason, and last night she got grumpy because we ran out. So please!”

Nozomi giggled at that. “That’s definitely a little alpha she’s got in there.”

Eli and Nozomi hurried off to the store, both to sate Umi’s monstrous tangerine cravings and to leave themselves enough time to return home before they had to pick Karin up from school. It was an overcast afternoon, quite the change from the chipper sunny days of the past few weeks, and the heavy dark clouds that loomed in the distance made Eli wonder if they should have taken the car instead.

“We’ll have to bring an umbrella to get Karin,” said Nozomi, as though she sensed Eli’s thoughts.

Despite their rush to get there, the couple took their time shopping, poring over the impressive selection of this and that and everything in between. Eli stayed close to Nozomi, casually brushing against her, or sometimes putting an arm around her waist, and Nozomi always responded with a sweet smile or a little hum. Eli enjoyed the time alone with her mate – as alone as they could be in a supermarket, anyway – and she thought that perhaps they ought to take a little vacation once all the territorial drama was over and done with.

“We never had a real honeymoon, after all,” Eli was saying as she turned over some tomatoes in her hands. “I think we’re in a good enough place to take one now, though, don’t you? It doesn’t even have to be far away or anything, since I think I might miss Karin...”

“Oh, I agree, Elicchi, I think a little getaway could be fun!” Nozomi smirked and raised her eyebrows. “If we plan it right, we could even have it coincide with my heat, and then...”

“Then we wouldn’t get out and actually do anything, though! Besides, I was thinking...”

Eli trailed off when she caught the scent of a foreign alpha amidst the mingling smells of betas and fresh fruits and vegetables. Nozomi must have smelled it, too, because her cheeky smile faded and she stepped closer. Eli put a protective arm around her and scanned the area to try and pick out the alpha from the betas. She felt her skin prickle, and her fur poked ever so slightly through her skin, but it wouldn’t do to lose her cool in a grocery store.

“It’s not a scent I recognize,” she whispered to Nozomi. “I don’t think it’s anyone who’s been around our neighborhood… But let’s be careful anyway.”

The pair resumed shopping, but the persistent musk forced their bodies into high alert, and it was too difficult to focus on the task at hand. They decided to cut their trip short and return later, so they rounded a corner to head for the checkout when they met with the source of the offensive musk.

“Hello there...”

Eli stood tall and locked eyes with the other alpha, and there was a moment of bristling and tense silence. The threat level was absurdly low in a supermarket of all places, but recent events saw Eli determined to assert her dominance anyway. To her relief, the smaller alpha bowed her head and took a step back.

“I’m just here picking up a few things,” she said. “I’m not here to fight you.”

Eli relaxed her posture somewhat, though she kept her head high and her mate close. “It’s fine. Do you mind if I ask you something, though, as a fellow shifter?”

“What is it?” The alpha’s green eyes narrowed, and her body language became defensive.

“Are you from around here?” Eli asked. “We’ve been having issues with some alphas marking in our territory, and a couple weeks ago there was an attack.”

That caught the alpha’s attention, and she let her guard fall, just a little. “So you’ve had problems over here, too?” She took a tentative step towards the couple, and when neither reacted negatively, introduced herself. “I’m Tsubasa Kira, the director of UTX High School. I live nearby there. Interesting you should mention strange alphas, because about a month ago we chased two of them out of our territory.”

“Eli Ayase, and this is my wife, Nozomi.” Eli gave a respectful nod. “Did you happen to see the alphas? Well, I guess you did, since you said you chased them. We haven’t been able to actually find the ones out here, but we smell them everywhere.”

“There were two, both women,” Tsubasa replied. “They were younger, maybe college age? Dark hair. I assumed they were siblings since they looked and smelled so similar. They started marking in my territory, and one night tried to get at my omega in heat, so I had to chase them off. They were good fighters, I’ll give them that! If my other mate hadn’t been there I might not have been so lucky.”

Eli nodded along with Tsubasa’s story. Based on those details she was certain they were dealing with the same pair of alphas. “I guess they’re wanting to establish themselves, then? I don’t like that. I’ve been really worried about our pack’s kids. I’ve heard the stories, you know...”

“I’ve heard the stories, too,” Tsubasa said. “I’d keep your kids close if I were you. As for actually finding the alphas, well… I’d wait for one of your omegas to go into heat and then patrol your neighborhood. They’re bound to come running.”

The idea of essentially using one of their omegas as “bait” made Eli shudder, but at this point, they had little choice when it came to forcing the troublesome pair into the open. They’d have to team up with Aqours to ensure everyone’s safety.

“Well, we appreciate you sharing your information with us, Kira-san,” said Nozomi. “It helps a lot. Hopefully we can get rid of this problem soon and finally let the kids off their leashes. They’re dying to get back outside.”

“It’s not a problem at all,” Tsubasa said. She finally dropped the submissive act and stood with confidence, hands on her hips. “Good luck. If you need any help, you can contact me at UTX. My mates and I can back you up.”

Eli and Nozomi nodded their respect, and Tsubasa returned the gesture, and then the three of them went on their way. They’d lost a lot of shopping time, and Eli could see the black clouds hanging over the city now, so they hurried to the checkout in hopes that they might make it back home in time to avoid a soaking.

 

Ruby wrapped herself in a blanket and thumped her tail miserably against the couch cushions. She tried to distract herself from the pulsing ache between her legs by listening to Riko’s piano student play, but their grating amateur mistakes only served to upset her even more. The raindrops that assaulted the living room window perfectly captured the mood, she thought, and she wished desperately for Hanamaru to come home.

“Hey. Ruby.”

She felt the cushions shift with Yoshiko’s weight, and she thumped her tail again.

“What is it, Yoshiko? I don’t really want to talk right now…”

The dark-haired omega showed no signs of getting up. “I think you should take a suppressant. Riri’s the only alpha home right now, and the last thing we need is for those mystery alphas to come knocking. Besides, she has a student right now. I bet she’s super embarrassed!”

Ruby hadn’t even considered that she might be forcing Riko to shift in front of a student. She sat up slowly, letting the blanket slip from her furry red shoulders. “I could always go to the pool house.”

“No!” Yoshiko snapped. “Absolutely not. You’re staying right here, safe, with me, and you’re gonna take a suppressant.” She slammed the pill bottle into Ruby’s hands for emphasis.

Ruby sighed and accepted the pills. She much preferred to ride out her heat naturally, but she supposed Yoshiko had a point. Her friend had always been a little forceful, a little over the top, but the moment she had Setsuna it was like she matured into max-power mama bear. Ruby was convinced that no other omega in the world could match Yoshiko’s ferocity, and so she felt that even if Riko was the only alpha home, she was still in very capable hands.

“If you take that, you can probably go visit Dia later, too,” Yoshiko said. “I went to see her yesterday. She looked miserable!”

“She _is_ miserable,” Ruby said. “I hope she can come home soon. They told me her wounds are healing as expected, so...”

Their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of Riko and her piano student, a beta boy of middle school age. Riko was clearly struggling to suppress her body’s natural response to Ruby’s heavy scent, and the boy pretended not to notice just how hairy his teacher was now.

“I want you to work on that section, okay?” said Riko as she opened the front door for the boy. Rain still poured down from the dark sky, and he looked reluctant to make the short trip to his mother’s car. “Just break it up into smaller chunks and play slowly at first. That’ll make it easier to practice.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the boy replied politely. His cheeks colored a faint pink, and Yoshiko smirked from her place on the couch.

Once the boy was safe in his mother’s car, Riko shut the door and turned to face the two omegas. She panted a bit, and her fur began to come wildly in as she relaxed at last.

“Yocchan,” she said, “can I talk to you upstairs for a minute?”

Yoshiko shared a glance with Ruby before replying, “Sure.”

Ruby had her suspicions, but the speed with which Riko climbed the stairs only confirmed that she was planning on having a lot more than just a private chat with Yoshiko. Yoshiko knew that from the get-go, and so when her sweet alpha lifted her skirt to reveal the sorry bulge in her undies, she was more than happy to lend a helping hand.

Ruby, of course, was left alone to smell their naughty deeds, and, because the house was otherwise empty, to _hear_ them, too. It was maddening, listening to her friends fuck their little hearts out while she was stuck on the couch with burning nethers and no relief outside her own hands. Yoshiko was so insensitive sometimes.

 

Mari knew Kanan would probably fuss at her for picking up the children without an alpha, but she was a grown omega, and it was raining so hard that whatever scary alphas lurked in their neighborhood would be unlikely to pick up her scent, anyway. Her umbrella was useless against the sideways downpour, and the wind eventually blew it inside out, so Ai and Setsuna attempted to block the rain with their backpacks while Mari did her best with only her arms. 

“Mama! You shoulda drove the car!” Ai shouted over the noise.

“Papa has it!”

They were soaked to the bone when the Aqours home at last came into view. Mari thought she saw someone standing outside the front window and seemingly pushing on it, and she wondered if perhaps Riko forgot her house key. That shouldn’t have been an issue, though, since Yoshiko was home with Ruby… Mari stopped midway through the yard to try and blink some of the water out of her eyes and get a better look. The children clung to her on each side, trying to shield themselves further from the sky’s onslaught.

The figure fiddling with the window turned around just in time to meet Mari’s blurred gaze. Mari felt her skin prickle with dread as she realized that it wasn’t, in fact, Riko, or anyone she knew. The stranger began to cross the yard to meet her, and Mari immediately dropped down to the children’s level.

“Girls, I need you to run as fast as you can to the Muse house, okay? No questions. Go _now_!”

Ai and Setsuna both picked up on the urgency in Mari’s voice, but the sight of the strange person coming towards them left them rooted to the spot with fear. It took a shove from Mari, almost to the ground, for Ai to start running and pulling Setsuna along with her. The girls began to fear shift as they ran, their little bodies overloaded with the stress of danger and the roar of rain and wind that whipped at them.

A car pulled up beside them at the intersection of their street and Muse’s street, and Setsuna roared at it with all the ferocity she could muster as a tiny alpha. The window rolled down to reveal Karin’s parents looking horrified.

“Girls!” cried Nozomi. “What’s going on? Where are your parents?”

Ai’s heart was pounding, and all she could think to do was point at the direction of her house and cry, “Help!”

Setsuna only roared again in response and flung herself at the open window. Nozomi struggled with the wet, thrashing cub as she lashed out blindly with her claws and screamed like an animal. The soothing techniques Nozomi used for Karin were useless here, as her scent was foreign to Setsuna, and Eli’s musk that lingered in the car only fueled her frenzy. Eli _was_ stronger, though, so she grabbed Setsuna from Nozomi and shoved her in the back seat, where she could at least be somewhat restrained with a seat belt (until she figured out how to tear it loose, anyway).

“Karin, sit up front,” Eli ordered. “Nozomi, take the kids to the house. I’m going to check on Aqours.” As soon as Karin opened the door, Eli picked up Ai and practically threw her into the back seat with her screeching packmate. Once she was satisfied that everyone was safe in the car, Eli took off down the road, heedless of the rain that blasted her, to the Aqours house.

Kanan would be glad she did.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> love yall for always commenting and keeping up with me

Nozomi felt awful for locking Setsuna in the closet, but it was the safest place for the little alpha in the Muse home, which was full of unfamiliar scents that only served to enrage the cub further. She did her best to ignore the child’s furious roars and scratching and pounding on the door while she worked to get Karin and Ai into dry clothes.

“Ai,” she said as she dried the girl’s blonde fur with a towel, “I need you to tell me what happened, as quick as you can.”

“Well...” Ai pulled on one of Karin’s sleepshirts, relieved at the feeling of fresh clothes over dry fur. “Mama picked us up from school and it was raining really hard, and when we got home there was a strange alpha there. Mama told us to run away, and...” She paused, clutching at her own tail for comfort. “I’m scared because what if they hurt her like they did to my auntie?”

The thought of Eli charging thoughtlessly into the hands of the mystery alphas coupled with the memory of bloody, ravaged Dia was enough to get Nozomi’s skin prickling. Her mate was the toughest alpha she knew, but even seasoned Eli would be no match for two alphas at once, or three, or however many there might be. She swept the teary Ai into her arms and hugged her tight.

“We won’t let that happen,” she told her, though her fear scent must have given away her true feelings. “Eli-san is going to rescue her. Now come on, we need to call your papa right away. Do you know her number?”

“I do.”

Karin burst into the room while Ai dialed her papa. Her mother’s fear scent and now-furry appearance stunned her, as Nozomi almost never shifted unless she was in heat, but Karin quickly regained her composure and began tugging at Nozomi’s hand.

“Mama, hurry, Rin and Nico are here now.”

Rin and Nico were in the living room, with Nico wringing the rainwater from her hair while Rin knelt beside Hanayo, who had taken it upon herself to soothe Setsuna through the closet door. The frenzied cub was coming down slowly but surely, with pitiful sobs punctuating her growls until at last she began to wail in earnest for her mama and her “Riri.” Hanayo opened the door to reveal poor Setsuna, still shifted but clearly much more herself, shivering on the floor in a mess of shredded blankets and her own urine.

“Nozomi, what’s going on?” Rin asked. “I came home as quick as I could when I got your call.”

“Eli’s in danger,” Nozomi replied. “Those alphas came to the Aqours house while only Mari was there, and Eli went to save her.” She found herself grasping Rin’s shoulders as she blinked away unwanted tears. “ _Please_ -”

The desperation in Nozomi’s expression clenched at Rin’s heart. “Say no more! Come on, Nico, let’s hurry!”

Nico yanked her tiger friend back. “No, _I’m_ going. You stay here and guard the house.”

“What are you talking about?!” Rin cried. “Eli could die! She needs both of us!”

Nico noticed Karin flinch at Rin’s words. “Eli won’t die, because I’m going to help her,” she said, briefly meeting Karin’s terrified gaze. “The omegas and the kids need you here to protect them, Rin! You have more at stake than me, anyway.” She jerked her head towards Hanayo.

“Fine... but...” Rin clenched her fists and bristled, conflicted. “No. No, Nico, we’re going together! Karin’s counting on both of us!” She turned to her mate, all confident swagger now. “Kayo-chin! I’ll be back soon!” She pushed past Nico and was out the door in a flash.

“Go now, Nicocchi!” Nozomi urged.

Nico gave one last, pointed look at Karin before tearing out the door and into the storm.

 

Mari hoped that the rain and wind would dull the rising scent of her fear. The alpha eyed the two children escaping down the street, and Mari braced herself to defend them, but, to her relief, the alpha chose to focus on her instead. The stranger circled her like a predator moments before the kill, and looked the part, too, with fangs all bared to intimidate. Mari stood her ground and snarled desperately, hoping she didn’t look as pathetic as she felt with the rain stinging her eyes and soaking all through her fur.

“I got in!”

Mari heard a shout over the crashing of the rain, and a second alpha ran around from the other side of the house. She took advantage of her opponent’s brief lapse in attention and began to back herself towards the house, step by agonizing step. The alpha pair were just as Dia described them – young, dark-furred females clearly hungry to claim a mate.

Even when she reached the house, Mari didn’t dare turn her back on the alphas. The furious pounding of her heart rivaled even the roar of the storm, though the awning over the porch brought her some relief from its battering. The alphas took their sweet time conversing with each other, and occasionally they glanced her way, growling and grinning and swishing their tails, and Mari knew it was all just to show her who was really in control. She wasn’t a threat, just a weak, soggy omega ripe to be claimed as brutally as they pleased.

With her back still against the door, Mari reached behind her and frantically pressed at the doorbell, hoping Riko or Yoshiko or _someone_ would burst through and chase the dirty wolves away. She thought, just for a moment, that she ought to just let herself in, but she knew the moment the alphas saw her key that they’d be upon her, and she couldn’t let them get at Ruby, either. So she waited, skin tingling and chest tightening as she envisioned what would either be her worst mating or her last mating.

No one came, not quick enough.

Mari roared with all her strength, hoping to channel even a fraction of her father’s ferocity. The alphas finally joined her on the porch, smirking at the liquid that dripped from beneath her skirt and betrayed her real fear.

“We know you’ve got a sweet little omega in there,” said the taller one. “If you give her to us, we’ll let you go and we won’t come back.”

“I refuse,” Mari said. “You need to leave. Now. Or else I’ll kill you both right here!”

Even Mari recognized how laughable that was, but the alphas were already demonstrating an unexpected level of diplomacy, and she hoped to keep them talking until someone came to her rescue. The second alpha, a shorter one, squirmed and grasped at the ever-so-slight protrusion in her skirt. Her eyes burned and she looked poised to jump Mari any second.

“Can’t we just take this one?” she asked in a voice strained with need. “She’s pretty, and she smells so _good_.”

The tall alpha looked Mari up and down. Though she played it much cooler than her sister (Mari assumed they were sisters based on scent), it was plain from the way she panted and licked her lips and flicked her tail that she, too, was close to breaking. If no one would answer the door, then there was nothing else to be done; Mari steeled herself to fight, letting loose another snarl she hoped Kanan would be proud of.

Out of the corner of her eye, just visible through the white sheet of rain and mist, Mari caught sight of Ayumu coming home from school. Her umbrella was broken, and her head was bowed against the downpour as she clutched her school bag and made her way to the house. Mari’s blood ran cold as the sweet young cub blindly approached the danger.

“Ayumu!” Mari screamed, desperately hoping she’d be heard over the storm. “Ayumu, run! Go! Run!”

The alphas whipped around, and sprang from the porch the moment they laid eyes on Ayumu. The cub stared for a moment, dazed, before the reality set in and she turned tail with a terrified shriek. There was no more time for Mari to agonize over her next move. She launched herself after the alphas, roaring, feet pounding the wet earth as fast as her body would allow her.

The alphas were far faster – one little stumble from Ayumu was enough for them to gain ground. They threw themselves at the cub, clawing greedily at her skirt and her blouse while she screamed for Mari to help. Mari leapt at the bigger alpha and scored a slash down her back, tearing through her black jacket. The alpha immediately turned on Mari and struck her across the face, stunning her just long enough for the alpha to grab hold of her.

The two of them wrestled and clawed and snapped at each other, and Mari was doing impressively well, if only for the raw adrenaline that ripped through her body. Still, even that was not enough for her to overpower an alpha as evidently experienced as this one, and the thought of what might happen to Ayumu once Mari was disposed of chilled her to the core.

Ayumu, being nearly 13, had an inkling of what all the rut entailed, and the mere idea of what was about to take place only intensified her already-wild frenzy. She roared and kicked and spit at her assailant, feeling less and less herself as raw fear coupled with primal rage overtook her. The rain blurred her vision and the disgusting musk of the alpha met her nose, her clothes were sopping wet and muddy, and her sides stung and bled from the alpha’s claws digging in. It was too much. She squeezed her eyes shut and cried out to no one in particular.

“Help!”

Eli ripped the alpha away from Ayumu and threw her to the sidewalk with a roar so horrible that even Ayumu was threatened. Before the cub could even think to react to Eli’s sudden appearance, Riko was there, yanking her to her feet and shoving her towards the house. She ran without a moment’s hesitation.

The alpha sisters were a formidable pair, and even with Riko and Yoshiko’s support, Eli had to fight with nearly all of her strength. The last time she had such a brutal confrontation was back in high school, when a particularly abusive alpha attempted to reclaim Nozomi. Eli fought like a hellish beast to defend her mate back then, and now, many years later and with even more at stake, her energy was more ferocious than ever.

It was only when Rin and Nico arrived on the scene that the battle, which to that point had been a bloody but unproductive one, began to tip in Eli’s favor. Rin was the fastest and boldest member of the Muse pack, and she wasted no time in striking the smaller alpha and chasing her away from the Aqours property. That left the bigger alpha outnumbered four to one, and so she left them with one last, humiliated roar before she took off after her sister. Yoshiko and Riko chased her for good measure, and to ensure that Rin returned back safely.

It was over so quickly. Eli stood there on the sidewalk, chest heaving and heart racing, and all the while the rain never ceased. As she came down, wounds she didn’t even know she’d sustained began to sting and ache, and she started to feel tired and lightheaded. Nico noticed Eli swaying and rushed to her side, tucking herself under her arm and supporting her as best she could with her small stature.

“Come on, Eli, stay with me now,” Nico said. “Let’s get inside.”

Eli mumbled a reply, and the two of them began to make their way back to the Aqours house, with Eli sagging heavily over Nico’s shoulder. The sudden appearance of a car screeching into the driveway startled Nico, but it was only Kanan, Ayumu’s mother Chika, and a grey-furred alpha called You, who was Chika’s mate.

“What’s going on?!” Kanan cried. “Where are they? Is Mari safe? Where’s Ai?”

Nico held up a hand. “Calm down, calm down! It’s under control,” she said. “Your family’s safe, Mari’s inside and Ai is at our house. We chased those alphas away, but, uh… Look, just help me out here!”

Kanan sped away the moment she heard Mari was inside, leaving You and Chika to help carry Eli back to the house. Nico was thankful that the grey alpha was strong, especially when Eli grew quiet and slumped over, unconscious. The three of them together managed to get Eli to the porch and out of the rain without much trouble.

“You guys get inside,” Nico said. “I think something happened to your daughter. I’m calling an ambulance for Eli.”

Her hands shook as she dialed the number. Her friend looked so weak just lying there with her clothes shredded and her golden fur all soiled with mud and blood. It was jarring to see her that way, and Nico was thankful that Nozomi was not present, and certainly not Karin. Never Karin.

 

Ayumu’s room was flooded. Her desk and all the books, drawings, and toys on it were drenched in the rainwater that still poured in through the open window. She saw her mama Riko bristle at the sight, and she knew she’d made a mistake.

“How many times have I told you to lock your window?” Riko shouted as she slammed it shut. “This is why! Those alphas could have come in here and gotten you, or Ruby, or anyone! They _almost_ did! Didn’t you think I was serious every time I reminded you to lock it? You put everyone’s lives in danger!”

It was rare to have Riko so worked up and angry, and Ayumu shrunk at her words. “I’m sorry, Mama,” she said. “I-I just forgot… I never thought this would happen.”

“But it did!” Riko continued. “You’re an omega, you’ve got to start taking these things more seriously! This isn’t like your video games, where you can just start over when something goes wrong!”

“Riko, stop!” Chika butted in. She drew her now-sniffling daughter close. “Ayumu’s been through enough today without you yelling at her, too! She’s learned her lesson now, I’m sure of it. You’re being too harsh.”

Riko froze at Chika’s chastisement. Finally, after a tense moment, she allowed herself to slump onto Ayumu’s (thankfully dry) bed, face in her hands. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry. I’m just so… Ayumu, I could’ve lost you today, and Setsuna, too.” She patted the spot next to her as an invitation, and the cub joined her at Chika’s urging. “You might not know this, but everything I’ve done since the day you were born has been so I could give you a happy and safe life. I failed you today, though. I didn’t even realize you were in danger until Eli-san was already there. I’m so thankful to her for coming when she did.”

“I am, too,” Ayumu said. She nuzzled into Riko’s shoulder. “I was so scared, Mama. But… I also felt strong. And weird. Like something else was controlling me, and I could fight forever!”

Riko nodded. “That’s how it gets for alphas,” she said. “That’s why Setsuna has so much trouble controlling herself when she shifts. I used to be the same when I was a child. It’s a bit different for omegas… But you were in enough danger today to warrant that kind of shift.” She put an arm around Ayumu and kissed her forehead. “I’ll help you clean up, okay? Just _promise_ after today you’ll start taking more care.”

“I promise, Mama.” Her eyes roved over to the desk, which was still dripping, and she sighed. “All my stuff is probably ruined now. My drawings and everything...”

Kanan poked her head around the doorframe and couldn’t help but grin at the sweet sight of papa and cub. “Hey, we’re heading out to the hospital,” she said. “They took Eli in, and Ruby wants to visit Dia, too. Are you coming?”

“Not tonight,” Riko replied. “We’ve got our work cut out for us here.”

 

Eli smelled Nozomi’s sharp, musky fear before she even saw her. It wasn’t much of a surprise, then, when Nozomi burst through the door and practically threw herself at Eli (despite Maki advising against it). Eli did her best to return her mate’s numerous kisses and cuddles, but she still felt weak and drained from the day’s violent ordeal.

“Nozomi! It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m okay.” Eli’s voice was deep and raw from growling and roaring so much. She pressed a kiss to Nozomi’s forehead, and the heavy fear scent began to dissipate little by little.

“Elicchi…” Nozomi kept her face buried in the crook of Eli’s neck for a bit, taking comfort in her familiar musk, tainted as it was with blood and antiseptic and traces of the mystery alphas. When she spoke again, her voice was thick with emotion. “When they told me you were being taken here, I was afraid you’d be hurt like Dia-san or… worse.”

“You should know me better than that, Nozomi.” Eli fondled her wife’s fuzzy ear. “It was just a little shock, and a lot of overexertion. When have you ever known me to lose?”

Nozomi finally raised her head with a little chuckle. “Oh, I suppose.” She sat up then, but, still eager for closeness, she decided to hold Eli’s hand. “So… What happened? Did you find out who the alphas were?”

“Well, I saw them,” Eli said. “Two women with long, black hair. I still don’t know anything about them, though… I mean, it’s not like we talked. But they seem to be trying to claim mates. They were first trying to get at one of the Aqours omegas, and then when I got there they were actually… well, they tried to rape Riko’s older daughter.”

Nozomi gasped aloud at that. “No! That’s awful! Is she okay?”

“Nico told me she was fine,” Eli said. “Just a bit later and she might not have been. I’m glad I made it in time.”

Karin and Nico arrived shortly afterward with a drink for Eli, and Kanan and her family were not far behind. Karin immediately climbed into the bed with Eli and nestled into her side, and Kanan was all handshakes and hugs and grateful tears.

“Thank you so much again for keeping my family safe,” Kanan said. She bowed so deeply that Eli was almost alarmed. “Seems like your pack is always there to help mine out. Nico told me you all chased the alphas away?”

“Yes, we didn’t kill them, though they were in pretty bad shape,” Eli replied. “I wouldn’t say we can relax yet, though. I still don’t know what they thought they were doing, coming around _knowing_ that there were two large packs already living here. To me, that’s just weird. That’s like asking to be slaughtered.”

“They fought pretty hard!” said Mari. One side of her face was swollen and discolored from the significant blow she’d received from one of the alphas. “I bet they’re just overconfident _young bucks_. And horny!”

“Well, whatever the case may be, just let them try coming around here again,” Kanan said, her voice cracking into a growl at the very end. “I’ll put them down on sight.”

All agreed on that. The trouble was gone for the time being, and Eli felt a sort of serenity there in the hospital after dark, with her wife snoozing in the chair nearby and her little one cuddled close. Of course, “young bucks,” as Mari called them, could be hormonal and territorial to the point of idiocy, so Eli would have to remain on guard in the coming weeks, but for now she was content with this small victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the action bits were super fun to write, but having to wrap it up was hard and pretty darn boring, so i hope the post-battle scenes don't come across as too rushed or uninteresting. next chapter i want to go back to some cute family life stuff and also dia


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sumwun please come home i miss u
> 
> filler/fluff. also i'm very sorry but i cannot write good smut to save my life, so yall gotta live with vague flowery sex scenes instead

It rained for three days following Eli’s confrontation with the intruding alphas. Eli was released from the hospital the morning after her collapse, and the day after that she returned to work, despite Nozomi urging her to take just one more day to rest. The more days she took off, Eli reminded her insistent wife, the fewer they’d have at their disposal for their long-belated honeymoon. That fact was enough for Nozomi to relent, if begrudgingly.

Too many rainy days in a row usually sent Karin into a stir-crazy fit, but this week she busied herself with rehearsing for her play at school. Regarding her actual role in the play, or what the production even was, she remained tight-lipped, revealing only that she played a lead part.

“The rest is a surprise!” she told her curious parents. “You’ll have to come watch it if you want to know! You _are_ coming to watch, aren’t you?”

Of course they were. Friday evening saw the entire Muse family packed into the elementary school auditorium with the families of the other little performers. Kanan, Mari, and Yoshiko were there, too, as Ai was apparently in the play as well, and Setsuna didn’t want to miss seeing her two friends on stage. By some miracle, even Ai had managed to stay secretive about their roles, and so both packs were left completely in the dark until it was time to begin.

The noise in the room dwindled down to silence as Principal Sakamoto-san took the stage. “Parents, friends, and family, thank you for attending Otonokizaka Elementary’s production of the Little Red Riding Hood tonight! Our students have worked very hard to put together a great show, so we hope you will enjoy it.”

Eli felt a twinge of dread upon hearing the name of the play. Nozomi must have sensed her tension, because she reached over to take her hand and rub her thumb soothingly over it.

“Easy, Elicchi,” she whispered. “It’s just a children’s play.”

Eli sighed and relaxed into her seat, letting Nozomi’s comforting touch and scent soothe her simmering temper. It was indeed a children’s play, and a classic fairy tale story, but the implications of the story, and even of the part Karin was sure to play, did not sit right with the protective mother alpha. Still, Karin had spent the better part of the last few weeks working hard at perfecting her part and chattering about how excited she was for her parents to see her, so, with that in mind, Eli took a deep breath and watched the show.

The curtain opened and Ai was there in a little forest scene, carrying a picnic basket and wearing the red hood that was the play’s namesake. Mari squeaked at the sight of her daughter dressed up so adorably, and Kanan had to shush her. Ai twirled about on the stage, singing some catchy little tune about going to her grandmother’s house. Then, the music track took a more ominous turn, which was Karin’s cue to peer around from behind one of the tree props.

She looked fantastically cute in her fuzzy grey wolf suit, and her nose was colored black. Her devilish grin earned her some cheers and hoots from the audience, and she pranced out from behind the tree to confront Little Red. Even Eli had to admit that the hints of animal growls with which she delivered her lines was a great touch, and one that suited her perfectly. No beta child would have been able to pull that off, she thought with a hint of pride.

The play progressed, and Eli found herself focusing more on her little one’s obvious passion for the role of Big Bad Wolf than she did on the unfortunate portrayal of shifters in stories like these. That discussion would still be a worthy one to have with Karin at a later date (and perhaps with the principal), but for now, Karin’s night of junior stardom took center stage. It helped also that Nozomi smelled particularly enticing tonight, between her favorite amber perfume and the scent of what Eli recognized as the beginnings of her heat.

A beta boy played the role of the huntsman, complete with fake beard and toy axe, and the play drew to a close when he chased the Big Bad Wolf from the scene and rescued Little Red. Ai, the hunstman boy, and the beta girl in the role of the grandmother all took a bow, and when the applause began to die down, Karin leapt back onto the scene and took a lavish bow of her own. The cub’s chest swelled with pride at the crowd’s cheers, and she couldn’t help but let out a triumphant howl.

“You did so good, Karin!” Ai squealed once the audience began to thin. “Tanaka-san was right, you really _were_ the best Big Bad Wolf!”

“Thanks!” Karin replied. “Did you hear the noise your mom made when you came on stage? I almost laughed!”

“Yeah, I did! Heehee!”

The girls held each other and spun around, laughing, until at last their families met up with them. Karin bounded over to her parents and caught them in a tight hug.

“Mama! Mommy!” She nuzzled them and then pulled away, bouncing in place with barely-contained excitement. “Everyone came! Even Maki! Did you see me, did you like the show?”

“It was a wonderful show, little cub!” Nozomi said. “Now I know why you were so secretive about it. You were the perfect wolf!”

“I think we should take our little actress out for a treat, don’t you?” Eli suggested.

Nozomi winked at her cub. “Uh-huh, and I know just the place, too.”

 

The children were elated with Nozomi’s choice of treat. Karin insisted on bringing Ai and Setsuna, and Kasumi, being Honoka’s true blood offspring, naturally tagged along on the promise of sweets. The little ones sat at a table together, comparing their parfaits and giggling and chattering as girls do, and the adults sat at the table adjacent to them. Eli gave a rather bashful bow to the Aqours women.

“You really didn’t have to pay,” she said.

“It’s the least we could do,” Kanan replied. “You protected our kids, and I might not have a mate anymore if you hadn’t come for Mari! We really lucked out having you guys in the neighborhood.”

“ _That's correct_!” Mari said with a grin. Her face was still somewhat lopsided from the swelling. “It’s a gift!”

Nozomi smiled softly. “Well, we thank you,” she said. “This is the place Elicchi and I used to have our dates back when we were in school.”

“Ohh, how romantic!” Mari clasped her hands together. “You know, I met Kanan when I was just a little girl. Watching our kids play together now reminds me of us back then!” She glanced over at the children’s table and gasped with delight. “Oh, Kanan! Watch Karin, watch what she does!”

Everyone turned to look. At random points in the little ones’ conversation, Karin would lean over and nuzzle Ai or rub her face and neck over Ai’s shoulder, effectively marking her friend with her juvenile musk. Mari looked like she’d burst with glee.

“Kanan-chan, you used to do that to me, do you remember?”

Kanan’s cheeks colored and she averted her eyes. “Yes...”

Everyone shared a laugh at that. The conversation flowed wonderfully between both the children and the adults, and the parfaits were long eaten by the time the group finally decided to head home. Of course, the grownups were met with much resistance from the cubs, who couldn’t bear to be separated after such a fun evening. Thus, it was agreed that Ai and Setsuna would be allowed once again to try their hand at sleeping over.

The Aqours cubs went home briefly to retrieve a change of clothes (and, in Setsuna’s case, her stuffed puppy), and then Kanan escorted them to the Muse pack’s house. After saying their goodbyes and receiving some hygiene reminders from Kanan, Ai and Setsuna skittered off to Karin’s room to do whatever it is that little girls do at sleepovers.

The mood was wonderfully mellow. The aroma of Nico’s cooking still lingered, though Eli still felt sufficiently full from her parfait. A little dessert before dinner was alright every once in a while, as Honoka sometimes told her. The other members of the pack were lounging about, enjoying the evening for once without the threat of work or intruding alphas hanging over them.

Rin, Hanayo, and Honoka played Mario Kart in the living room, and, based on the screaming alone, it seemed Honoka was losing. Umi retired to bed especially early, complaining of both a tummyache and a backache. Kotori acted as her nurse in between being Honoka’s personal Mario Kart cheerleader (she got banned from playing after winning 17 races in a row). Maki and Nico were gone to their room, and Eli suspected it was for some much-needed unwinding and probably sex. It was rare that Maki had an evening free followed by a full day off, after all.

Finally, Eli’s lovely Nozomi informed her that she was going to take a bath, and she did so with such a glint in her eye and sway in her hips that Eli felt compelled to join her. The click of the bathroom’s lock, though, told Eli that Nozomi intended her not to join, but to wait. She changed into some shorts and a loose shirt and tucked herself into the bed to do just that. Just the scent of Nozomi that lingered on the sheets was enough to get Eli massaging her cock through her shorts, and she realized that it’d been nearly three weeks since she last made love to her beloved omega, and that was just too damn long.

Nozomi emerged from the bathroom looking much fuzzier than when she went in, and smelling like an absolute goddess. She slid into the bed and cuddled close to Eli, all the while pretending to ignore the obvious lump in her mate’s shorts.

“Karin was so adorable today, wasn’t she?”

“She really was,” Eli said. “I just wish they’d picked a different play. You know I don’t like those old stories like that.”

“I know.” Nozomi reached up to rub Eli’s ear, which was now covered in fine hair and coming to a point as she shifted slowly. “But they’re children. I don’t think they understand, at least not completely. I think Karin just loved being the wolf because she got to do all that growling and howling that she doesn’t usually get to do at school.”

“Yeah, I know. It just bothers me, the way people think.” Eli nuzzled into her wife’s touch, eager to move the conversation along so as to get inside Nozomi quicker. “Did you smell Mari today, by the way? I think she’s pregnant.”

“I noticed that, too, yes, but I didn’t want to mention it.”

“I remember you smelled so wonderful while you were pregnant.” The sweet, musky scent of Nozomi’s heat was doing a number on Eli. She drew Nozomi closer and pressed a wanting kiss to her lips. “Everyone’s having kids right now. Rin and Hanayo, and now Mari, and Umi’s due any day now...”

“Oh?” Nozomi cocked her head. “What are you implying, Elicchi? Are you wanting to try for another child?”

Eli scratched her ear bashfully. “W-well, I’m not saying that we _should_ , or even that I _want_ to try… I’m just saying that now would be a good time to do so... Er, if we decided to. S-since she’d grow up with a lot of playmates.”

Nozomi grinned, showing off her cute little fangs. “You sure this isn’t just some excuse to go bareback?”

“Nozomi!”

Eli recalled their first mating, one many years ago in an empty classroom. Nozomi was such a meek little thing back then, eyes always downcast and her scent always tinged with submission. Eli found it somewhat concerning, but her cock certainly didn’t complain about the timid omega’s compliance when Eli ordered her to bend over a desk. It was a good fuck, almost, but for Nozomi’s barely-contained sobs and overwhelming fear scent that shocked Eli into pulling away. Eli earned Nozomi’s respect, genuine respect, in that moment, and they were inseparable thereafter, though they didn’t mate again for another year.

Nozomi then was nothing like Nozomi now. Nozomi now was not afraid to look Eli in the eye, to grab her and squeeze her and snarl her pleasure, to open herself, quite literally, to her, and most importantly, to _enjoy_ doing so.

Eli could think of little else besides her gorgeous mate that panted and writhed beneath her. It was Nozomi’s belief that babies ought to be the product of lovemaking, not base fucking, and Eli was happy to comply with that belief. She gritted her teeth and worked her hips with every ounce of passion she could muster, and when Nozomi slowly wrapped her legs around her and began to whimper, Eli knew she couldn’t hold out much longer.

Nozomi came first, and the combination of her throaty moan and the way she hugged Eli so sweetly (in more ways than one) prompted Eli to let loose, too. The sensuality of releasing inside her mate while they embraced like this was indescribable, and there was so much that Eli felt confident that another little one would be on its way in no time at all.

 

Setsuna woke with her bladder full to the brim and aching to be emptied. She sat up, careful not to wake her sleeping friends, and stared at the bedroom door reluctantly. It was much too dark at this hour to go wandering off to the bathroom alone, but embarrassment kept her from waking Karin or Ai to escort her. She realized then just how foreign and threatening Karin’s house really smelled. That was why Mama packed her “power cloak” in Setsuna’s bag, though; not only did the cloak soothe Setsuna’s nerves with the comforting scents of Mama and Riri, it also acted as a repellent for all the evil things that lurked in the dark.

With the potent black cloak wrapped snugly around her, Setsuna settled back into the bed, but the pounding of her bladder was too difficult to ignore, and she feared she might wet Karin’s sheets. She sat up again and clutched her stuffed puppy to her chest, working up the resolve to make the trip across the room and down the hall to the bathroom.

She slid carefully from the bed and then glanced back at Karin and Ai, who did not even stir. Good. She crept to the door, turned the knob as quietly as she could, and peered out into the hallway. The darkness almost certainly concealed all manner of malevolent beasts and beings just waiting for the opportunity to snatch up a little cub like her, and she thought she heard muffled growling coming from who knows where. Setsuna stood frozen with fear, skin prickling, for as long as her body would allow (which was not very long). Finally, she was faced with two choices: either she could brave the dark hall and use the toilet like a big alpha, or she could stand here and wet herself and then shamefully explain to Karin’s entire family what happened.

Setsuna wasn’t about to explain anything to anyone, and so she ran.

The bathroom was not nearly as comforting a space as Setsuna hoped. For one thing, the window curtains were parted ever-so-slightly, and Setsuna hoped there were no bad alphas outside that might be watching her every move (the fact that she was on the second floor was not enough to convince her that there couldn’t be). Even the toilet was ominous; it made a strange trickling, yawning sound, and it smelled unpleasantly like that happy orange alpha. Setsuna covered her nose with her cloak and shut her eyes so she did not have to see or smell the threatening fixture while she relieved herself.

Once she was blissfully empty, Setsuna washed her hands (Riri would surely find out if she didn’t) and prepared herself to make the journey back to the safety of Karin’s room. When faced with the dark hallway again, she found that it wasn’t _that_ scary now that she wasn’t carrying a gallon of piss. With fresh confidence, Setsuna stepped boldly out into the hall, only to be met with that strange growling again, this time louder. She had her power cloak, though, so she drew it tighter about her shoulders and steeled herself to face whatever evil beast lurked there.

She was not, of course, prepared for the growling to become roaring. Fur shot out from her skin and she ran for her life back to the bedroom, where she slammed the door, dove into the bed, and prayed to the strongest being she knew.

“Yohane, please save us!”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was losing steam so i decided to skip on ahead and write the puberty chapter real quick

In the years that followed, the Muse and Aqours packs were blessed with no less than five new cubs. Little Shizuku was born first, several hours after Setsuna first heard Umi roaring with her contractions during the night. They visited her at the hospital the following morning, and the normally-dignified and stoic Umi was shifted and, for once, receptive to her mates’ public affections. The baby alpha was dark-furred, a brown so deep as to be nearly black, and she watched the members of her new pack with big blue eyes that were all Honoka. Her birth, unfortunately, set off a jealous streak in Kasumi that never _quite_ wore off.

Kanata came next. Rin and Hanayo spent inordinate amounts of time studying the finer details of childrearing (despite most of their packmates having significant experience in that department), and they braced themselves for the demanding days and sleepless nights of infanthood, only to be pleasantly surprised that their little omega was the chillest baby to ever be. As she got a bit older, Rin anticipated lots of roughhousing and burning off that toddler energy outside, but Kanata remained her relaxed self and preferred less intensive activities.

There was a fair bit more drama involved in the birth of Mari’s little one. Kanan spent the entire pregnancy doting on her mate and making preparations for the child, but all the while the sliver of a chance that the cub might not be hers ate at her. When the tiny alpha Sayuri emerged covered in all-black fur and sporting the gorgeous blue-green eyes of Dia, it crushed Kanan.

“She will never call me Papa,” was her bitter remark. Mari burst into tears.

Life went on, though, and Dia turned out to be an attentive, if strict, parent. Sayuri herself was not only instrumental in repairing Dia’s damaged relationship with her friends, but the vivacious little alpha managed to rough and tumble her way into the reluctant Kanan’s heart, too. Ai, meanwhile, could not even begin to understand the dynamic between her parents and Dia and Sayuri; she was interested only in loving on her baby sister and sharing in all the fun life had to offer.

It was not long after Kanata and Sayuri were born that Nozomi gave birth, too. She predicted early on that her new daughter would be an alpha, and, in typical Nozomi fashion, she was correct. Kiyoko was not nearly as rambunctious as her big sister, instead taking after Nozomi in her shyness, but she still had to endure all the trials of young alphahood just the same. Eli was immensely proud of the protectiveness that Karin displayed when it came to her baby sister, and was silently thankful that there was no jealousy involved as with Kasumi and Shizuku.

Finally, two years after the births of the others, a little slip in Nico and Maki’s normally stringent contraceptive measures left Maki expecting and panicking. After some heart-to-hearts with Nozomi and a lot of convincing from Nico, Maki decided she’d have the child, and Nico then went all-out in the preparations. Maki’s labor was long and agonizing, and more than once during the ordeal she asked (screamed) why she chose to do this, begged Nico to kill her, and also cried for her mother. The fruit of Maki’s labor was little Reine, an omega who was just like Nico in nearly every respect.

Now, in the present day, Karin and her friends were 13 years old (Setsuna was still 12, actually, but she never let anyone forget that she was turning 13 in just a few weeks). With age and some careful guidance from Eli and loving support from Nozomi, Karin eventually learned to control her beastly shifts, but her budding adolescence brought with it new challenges that weren’t quite so simple to navigate. These were problems both of the emotional and biological variety – that is, teenage mood swings and angst, and a blossoming sexuality.

Per her mother’s teachings, Karin had always known that she was different physically from beta girls and from omega girls, and that was a simple enough fact for her, but it never occurred to her that it might be used as a teasing point for other children.

“I know about people like you,” a boy in her class said to her one day.

“What do you mean?” Karin asked. “You mean that I can shift?”

“Kind of,” the boy replied. “I mean that you’re a boy-girl.”

“A boy-girl?” Karin was shocked at that, as she’d always been utterly feminine in presentation and behavior, as far as she knew, anyway. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m just a girl.”

“No… You’re definitely a boy-girl,” the boy said with an infuriatingly smug tone. “My dad told me. He said they look like and act like girls, but actually they’re boys.”

“What are you even talking about?”

Their conversation ended there, as it was time for class to begin, but the entire interaction left Karin baffled. She brought it up with Setsuna later while they were waiting for Ai and Kasumi to meet them so they could walk home.

“He said I was a boy-girl,” Karin said. “I don’t know what he means by that? Do I look boyish to you? Maybe I should grow my hair out a bit more.”

“I don’t think it’s anything to do with your looks,” Setsuna said. “Actually, it’s kind of embarrassing, but Riri told me about this once.”

“Yeah?”

“She told me that, uh...” Setsuna looked around to ensure no one was listening too closely to their conversation. “Apparently, an alpha’s, um, privates are the same as a beta boy’s. And that alpha males have similar ones, too.”

“Seriously?!”

“That’s just what Riri told me.”

Karin was dumbfounded. She knew she was different from other girls, and that the girls’ health class was utterly foreign and useless to her except perhaps as a tool to learn a little more in-depth about omega anatomy, but it never occurred to her that she might share similarities with _boys_. She rarely thought about or interacted with males in her daily life, as her pack and the Aqours pack were entirely female, and all of her beta friends were girls, too. Now that she was experiencing some physical development, she did attract the attention of more infatuated boys than before, but even then Karin never thought about them so deeply as to even _consider_ what they might have between their legs. It just wasn’t on her innocent radar at all, until now, at least.

“That’s disgusting,” was the only thing she could think to say.

“Hey, thanks for waiting!” Ai, forever the master of interrupting conversations, burst onto the scene with a fresh lollipop in hand. “Sorry I took so long, but I was busy playing rock-paper-scissors with some girl in the bathroom because I saw she had my favorite flavor. I won, naturally!”

Kasumi arrived not long after. “Let’s get home, girls! If I remember correctly… None of my parents will be home for another hour, and that’s plenty of time to eat Honey’s chocolate pudding without her finding out.”

The four of them walked home from school together as they’d been doing for many years. The junior high school was a longer distance from their neighborhood than the elementary school, and Eli initially was insistent on still walking with them, but Nozomi wouldn’t allow it.

“I know you want to protect her,” Nozomi said, “but Karin is growing up now. Middle school is a big deal, Elicchi, and I’m sure she wants to seem a little more grown-up in front of the other kids. Besides, Rin is there for most of the week. She’ll make sure Karin is safe.”

The girls enjoyed the longer walk, as they had more time to catch up and cut up on the way. Today, though, the summer heat was oppressive, and Karin wanted nothing more than to strip down to her shorts and lay in front of the fan for the rest of the night. When they reached the intersection of their streets, Karin and Ai shared their usual nuzzle despite their sweatiness, and they parted ways from there. Sharing scents with her was a ritual that Karin didn’t even think twice about; they’d always done it, for reasons neither really understood, and as far as she was concerned, they always would.

“You know she likes you,” Kasumi said once Ai and Setsuna were out of earshot.

“Yeah? Obviously I like her, too,” Karin said. “She’s been my best friend for, like, six years!”

“I don’t mean like that, dumdum,” Kasumi said. “I’m telling you she _likes_ you. Understand? She _like-likes_ you. She wants to be your _mate_.”

Karin blinked. “What? Mate?! I-I don’t think that’s the case, Kasumi,” she said. “Ai’s never said anything about that to me before. We’re just close friends. We always have been.”

Kasumi looked at her like she was some incompetent child. “You know, Karin, your parents are some of the smartest, wisest people I know. You? Not so much. I don’t know what happened, but I find it hard to believe Eli and Nozo had a baby blockhead as thick as you. You sure you’re not adopted?”

“Kasumi!” Karin took a swipe at her friend and missed, though she wasn’t really aiming to hurt as much as she wanted to make a point. “I’m not stupid, you know! If Ai really liked me like that, I think I’d know by now. I know her better than anyone.”

“Whatever you say, Blockhead-san.”

 

Dinner was already underway when Eli arrived home from work. She changed quickly into more comfortable clothes and joined her family at the meal. Kiyoko greeted her by shoving herself under her arm and giving her the nuzzle of a lifetime.

“Took you long enough!” said Nico. “I was starting to think you weren’t gonna show up to eat my cooking.”

Eli kissed Kiyoko and ruffled her hair, then set her back in her spot to eat. “I know, I know,” she said. “I had to get caught up. I got some help from a new coworker, though. She’s actually a shifter! Her name’s Sarah, she’s an alpha, and apparently she moved here recently with her sister to work.”

“Two alphas in the workplace, huh?” Honoka’s mouth was stuffed full with rice, and Umi flicked her for talking like that.

“It wasn’t so bad,” Eli said. “I mean, it was tense when we first met, yeah, but she was respectful of me, and we got along alright after that. Anyway, she invited Nozomi and me to have dinner with her and her sister tomorrow to kind of get to know each other since we’re gonna be living so close. Maybe we’ll end up with more friends soon?”

“Hopefully they’re nice,” said Hanayo. “Sometimes I still think about those alphas that came here a few years ago, and I wonder whatever happened to them.”

“While I was pregnant with Kiyoko, I used to have dreams that they came back to fight Elicchi, or to get me, or Karin,” Nozomi said. “I was scared at first, since I’ve had plenty of predictive dreams in the past, but the dreams stopped after she was born. I guess I was just anxious.”

“Well, she seems to be friendly enough, so we’ll see,” Eli said.

After the meal, everyone dispersed to do their respective chores, and Karin approached Eli looking rather sheepish.

“Hey, Mom? I had something I wanted to ask you about, so um… Can you come up to my room when you’re done?”

Eli blinked in surprise; it was rare to see Karin so timid and embarrassed. Quickly, though, she smiled to ease her little one’s nerves. “Of course, baby girl. Give me just a sec to finish up these dishes.”

When she finally cleaned up the dishes and the sink area, Eli headed up to her cub’s room. Karin was on the bed reading a manga Setsuna lent her, but she set the book aside and sat up once she saw her mother. Eli sat herself down next to her and gave her a gentle nuzzle.

“Something the matter, Karin?”

“Mm, well…” Karin shifted a little, clearly uncomfortable, and sat on her hands. “Someone called me a ‘boy-girl’ today. I didn’t know what he meant, since I think I’m pretty girly, so I asked Setsuna about it later. She told me that beta boys and alphas girls have the same… erm… private parts. And I was just wondering if that was true…?”

Eli relaxed as Karin began to explain her question. She’d been expecting a chat about heat, or masturbation, or crushes, or practically every other teenage concern, not beta genitals. “It’s true,” she said, and noted Karin’s profoundly disappointed expression. “Er, that doesn’t make you a ‘boy-girl,’ though, any more than it makes me a ‘man-woman.’ You’re an _alpha_ girl. That’s different from being a beta boy or an alpha boy.”

“I see,” Karin said, though she still didn’t meet Eli’s eyes. “Well, I was just wondering, that’s all. Um, also...” Her cheeks took on an adorable pink tint before she continued. “You don’t think it’s weird that I share scents with Ai every day, do you?”

Perhaps this was about crushes, after all.

“It’s not weird if you’re close,” Eli said. “Back when your mama and I were in school, before everyone in Muse was living together, we used to mark each other so people would know we were all part of one pack unit. It’s just an affectionate gesture. Besides, you’re close enough with Ai and Setsuna that you might even end up forming your own pack with them one day.”

Karin finally looked up at her mother, but found she was still too embarrassed to look her in the eye, and promptly buried her face in her shoulder. “Thanks, Mommy.”

“That’s what I’m here for.” Eli hugged her tight and kissed her hair. She felt a little pang of sadness when she realized that Karin’s once soft, babyish scent was being replaced by a stronger, muskier adolescent one. Such was life.

 

The next day, Ai complained of feeling sick, but whenever one of the other cubs asked her what she meant, she couldn’t describe it well.

“I just feel like my legs are getting all wobbly,” she told them during lunch. “And I can’t focus on anything! I was trying to read a book earlier and it took me forever just to read two sentences! I had to keep reading them over and over, but I wasn’t even really reading it at all!”

“Do you need to go home?” Setsuna asked. “My mama’s home, she could come get you.”

“No, no, I’ll be fine,” Ai assured her, though she didn’t sound so confident. “I probably just didn’t get enough sleep or something.”

Kasumi nodded sagely and stroked her chin like a wiseman. “Actually, everyone, I’ve heard of this sickness before.” When she had everyone’s attention, she continued, “Wobbly jelly legs, inability to focus, general fatigue… It could only be one thing – lovesickness!”

“Lovesickness? Bahaha!” Ai stood up and dusted off her skirt. “That’s ridiculous, Kasumi! You know that’s just something made up for romance movies and stuff, right? Anyway, I’m gonna run to the bathroom. Catch you guys in class!”

Karin stood up, too. “Do you need someone to come with you? Jelly legs, and all...” 

“Nah, I’ll be fine! It’s just down the hall.”

Once Ai was gone, Kasumi turned to Karin with a smirk. “Trust me, Karin, it’s lovesickness. She’s got such a huge crush on you that it’s affecting her physically now!”

Karin rolled her eyes. “Oh, please! She said she didn’t get enough sleep, and I believe her over you.”

Kasumi turned to Setsuna for support. “You know it’s true, Setsuna!”

“This has nooothing to do with me,” Setsuna replied. “We should get back to class now.”

Ai didn’t return in time for class, and after twenty minutes, Karin began to worry. What if she fell down and hit her head, or what if she was feeling sick in the bathroom but couldn’t move? She spent some time trying to catch the studious Setsuna’s eye, and once she did, jerked her head towards the door and hoped the other cub understood her intentions. She did, and so Karin excused herself to the toilet.

The hall was quiet and free of other students, leaving the way clear for Ai’s scent to reach Karin’s nose. She recognized it as her friend immediately, but it had such a musky, prickly quality to it now that made it inexplicably tantalizing to Karin. She followed the scent to the restroom at the far end of the hall, and when she pushed the door open, she caught a potent rush of it, prompting a peculiar energy to bubble up within her as she shifted.

“Ai!”

“Karin?”

Ai’s voice was thin and quavering. There was a click, and she emerged from a stall, revealing to Karin that she was completely shifted. She looked so small and fearful compared to typical bubbly Ai, and Karin took a tentative few steps towards her.

“Ai, what’s wrong with you?”

“I feel really, really weird and shaky. And, like… tingly.” She rubbed her thighs together a bit and shuddered. “Karin, I think… Well, Mama said she got her first heat around this age. So I think… Ah… What should I do? I can’t go back to class like this.”

Karin understood the implications of their situation, as much as an innocent 13 year-old could, anyway, but still she wanted to be closer to Ai. She moved in and hugged her friend tightly, burying her face in her hair and taking in that heavy, alluring scent. Ai didn’t object, and seemed to take comfort in her embrace. It was just as well, because Karin didn’t dare move away and expose the embarrassing new swelling in her skirt.

“Ai…”

Karin didn’t understand why she did what she did next. She pressed her quivering friend to the wall and began to rock gently against her. The feeling of brushing up against Ai was electrifying, and a million times more embarrassing than popping a boner in the first place, and yet Karin couldn’t bring herself to care, and her body seemed to move all on its own.

“Ah- Um- Karin!”

Ai came to her senses all of a sudden, and pushed Karin away, face burning. “I-I think I should call my mom to pick me up,” she said. “Come with me to the infirmary.”

The infirmary was on the ground floor, so Karin escorted Ai down the stairs, careful not to let her tip over and fall with her unsteady legs. Her body was still tingling with that foreign energy, and she wanted nothing more than to bury her nose in Ai’s scent forever. Ai was less than receptive now to her affections, though, so Karin kept a respectful distance from her while they walked.

“Ai, wait.”

Ai turned back to look at her with a nervous expression. “What?” She couldn’t seem to stand still, wringing her hands and shifting her legs.

Another alpha student, one with deep red-purple fur that Karin knew as Ryo, emerged from the infirmary just as they were about to enter. Ryo must have smelled Ai, too, because she was also shifted and looking rather bothered. Karin had never before experienced such intense, explosive _fury_ as she did when she locked eyes with the other juvenile alpha, and she let her know it, too, with a savage roar.

“Karin, don’t! Wait!”

Karin didn’t even hear Ai. The moment Ryo took a step forward, the most primitive part of Karin decided that that was far too close to Ai, and she struck. In no time at all, the two young alphas were roaring and spitting and scrambling about on the floor, claws and fangs all bared and slashing. It wasn’t what Karin _wanted_ to do, not really, but the mere sight of the other alpha was enough to set her blood boiling. When a teacher came to separate the two combatants, Karin lashed out at her, too, and it took four more just to restrain her.

That, of course, was how Karin ended up in the principal’s office once again, waiting for her parents to come so the administration could dole out her punishment. Her skin prickled with shame at her sudden loss of control. She hadn’t had a fit like that since she was nine years old, and even then, she felt today’s episode was something else entirely. Why was she like this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw the new big bad wolf dia ur is extremely handsome and relevant to my life and interests


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it took a long time for me to think of an idea and write it. this is a bit of a bridge/setup chapter. thanks for always reading and commenting guys i love u so much

The sight of Ai so weepy and shuddering broke Mari’s heart. She hugged and kissed her little one and escorted her out to the car with a comforting arm about her shoulders. The potent teenage musk of Karin still clung to Ai’s clothes and fur, and Mari wrinkled her nose at the smell of it. Once they were safely in the car, Mari didn’t drive off right away; instead, she turned down her heavy music and faced Ai.

“Okay, _cucciola_ , tell Mama the truth,” she said. “You and Karin… Did you mate?”

Ai immediately went wide-eyed and red-faced. “What?! Mama! Of course we didn’t, why would you even ask that?” She turned away from her mother, mortified and hugging herself. “We’re just friends.”

“I can smell her musk on you,” Mari replied. “I’m not gonna be angry, so just tell me. It’s important that I know for sure. Did you or not?”

Once Ai understood that Mari’s question was not simply an assumption, but a legitimate concern, she turned back to her, though it was still too hard to look her in the eye. “…We really didn’t, Mama,” she said. “We just hugged. In the bathroom. Then she was taking me to the infirmary to call you, but she got in a fight with another alpha, and now she’s in trouble. Nozomi-san is supposed to come talk to the principal.”

“Oh no! Hopefully they’re not too hard on either of them,” Mari said. “You’re just at that age now… Actually, your papa used to get in fights all the time when other alphas would try to come on to me! I thought she was so heroic back then.” She laughed and was pleased when Ai managed a little giggle, as well. “Well, let’s head on home. I’ll make you some lunch, and you can stay in the bed all day if you want! Okay?”

“Okay!”

Mari went all out in preparing a hearty meal for her growing cub, but Ai managed only to nibble at it despite her deep appreciation for her mother’s efforts. There was a more immediate need at hand, one she couldn’t quite place at her age, and one for which no relief could be found beyond squirming and rolling about on the bed and rubbing her thighs together. It was difficult to think about much else beyond her physical misery, but when she did think, it was always about Karin, and how fervently they’d embraced in the school bathroom. The memory of her friend’s heavy musk and the way she pressed and rocked against her sent fresh waves of desperation through Ai’s body, and she couldn’t help but whine.

The assumption that she and Karin would eventually grow up, marry, and start a pack together was one Ai often took for granted, especially considering Karin did not seem to harbor similar feelings; if anything, Karin was frustratingly oblivious to any hints.

“You can’t expect her to know about your plans if you never even tell her about them,” Setsuna constantly reminded Ai. “Karin thinks everything you do is because you’re best friends.”

Today, though, revealed a different – forceful, passionate – side of Karin, and Ai thought that perhaps her feelings were returned after all. With that little hope fluttering in her chest and burning in her shorts, she grabbed her phone to message her alpha friend.

 

The news that Karin had gotten into a fight at school shocked Eli, but once Nozomi explained the full situation, she supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised. Karin had been Ai’s little protector since day one of their friendship, when she bit a classmate for trying to put glue in Ai’s hair. They’d been so small then, and easy to manage, barring Karin’s sometimes difficult shifts. Now, things were different. Karin was bigger and stronger, and if she wasn’t already riddled with the wild hormones of adolescence, she surely would be now that she’d gotten a whiff of Ai’s first heat. The fact of the matter was that Karin was an alpha, Ai was an omega, and things could _happen_ if Eli didn’t guide them in the right direction.

“Would you have stopped seeing me if your mother told you to?” Nozomi asked her over the phone.

“Well, no, but it was different with you,” Eli said. “You lived alone, and people were abusing you. You didn’t have a solid support system. My mother would never have tried to separate us.”

“That’s not really relevant,” Nozomi replied. “Even if I wasn’t alone, or people weren’t hurting me, somehow I doubt you’d stay away from me just because someone asked you to.”

“Well, I suppose...” Eli sighed. “But-”

“I won’t keep them from each other,” Nozomi continued. “They’re best friends, Elicchi, they _love_ each other. We can’t just separate them after they’ve been together for so long. They’re still just girls.”

“Karin is an alpha, Nozomi,” Eli said. “I understand perfectly well how hard it is for alphas to control themselves at that age. Because I _am_ one, and I went through it. Just… Look, I’m not saying we should keep them apart forever. I’m just suggesting a bit more supervision, you know, less alone time.”

“Elicchi,” Nozomi began, and Eli knew that tone well. She’d never back down. “We’ve spent Karin’s entire childhood encouraging her and teaching her to make good choices. This is no different. The last thing I want is for her to start sneaking around just to see Ai. I want to believe that she’s learned something from us.”

“Nozomi, this isn’t a matter of morals or choices,” was Eli’s sharp reply. “It’s a matter of our basic biology – instincts and urges and all that. It doesn’t matter what we’ve taught her if she can’t control herself!”

“If I remember correctly, you controlled yourself perfectly fine when we were young.”

A growl rumbled in Eli’s throat, and she decided enough was enough for now. “It’s _not_ the same, Nozomi. Anyway, we’ll talk about this more when I get home. Love you.” She tossed the phone into the passenger seat and returned her focus to the flow of traffic for a while, though her thoughts eventually ended up drifting back to the Karin situation.

The older Karin got, the harder it became for Eli to frankly discuss matters of growing up. She didn’t know why this was, exactly; perhaps it was because Karin was now at an age where she could understand and digest the information in greater detail, and Eli couldn’t bear to lose her innocent little cub to such carnal knowledge, much less to be the one to deliver it. There had to be a better, less awkward method of educating her daughter, and Eli knew just who to call on for help.

“Is Kunikida-san available right now?”

The library wasn’t a place Eli frequented much anymore. Actually, the last time she could remember really browsing one was in college, and that was nearly two decades ago now. Nozomi sometimes took the children to look at books, but that was always while Eli was at work. She was impressed with just how many people packed the place this afternoon.

“Eli?” Hanamaru tried to smile, but Eli had never come to see her at her workplace before, and so she couldn’t hide the concern on her face. “It’s nice to see you, zura. Is… Did you need something? Did something happen?”

Eli shook her head, noting Hanamaru’s worried expression. “No, no, nothing happened,” she said. “Er, well, something happened, but it’s nothing too serious. Karin got into a fight with another alpha today because Ai went into heat. And I don’t really know how to approach this whole, erm, puberty thing...”

Hanamaru blinked. “So you wanted my advice? Zura?”

“I thought you might know of a good book for Karin,” Eli said. “I’m going to have to talk to her no matter what, but I thought it might be more comfortable if she could maybe look through a book at her own pace...”

“Okay, I gotcha, I gotcha,” Hanamaru replied. “I might know a good one if you wanna look through it.” She started towards the youth nonfiction and motioned for Eli to follow. “You know, there’s only a handful of sex ed books for shifter kids. Most of them are too clinical, but we got a newer one in a couple years ago, zura… Oh, here it is. Look.”

She placed the book in Eli’s hands and Eli flipped through the pages. The tone was approachable, if rather juvenile, but Eli supposed she was already too far out of the targeted age range to appreciate it. The illustrations were cute, though, and the explanations and diagrams were concise and accurate as far as she could tell just from skimming.

“I’ve had a lot of kids – and parents, too – check that one out, zura,” Hanamaru said. “I think it’s so popular because it really filled a need in our community, so… What do you think?”

Eli nodded and shut the book. “I’ll take it. I think Karin will like it.”

Hanamaru grinned. “Great! But don’t think I’ll waive any late fees just because you’re a family friend. I expect that book back here in two weeks’ time! Zura!”

“Don’t worry, it will be! Thanks for your help, Hanamaru.”

 

Nozomi didn’t expect to meet with Tsubasa at the school, but apparently it was her daughter that Karin fought. Perhaps it was a lucky coincidence, because Tsubasa, despite her small stature, was forceful and demanding with the no-nonsense principal, and she managed to secure a lighter punishment for the two baby alphas. A week’s worth of detention and extra janitorial duties was but a slap on the wrist for a fight that could have landed either of them in the hospital.

“Thank you so much, Kira-san, and I’m sorry for the trouble.” Nozomi bowed respectfully to the little alpha woman.

“Don’t worry about it,” Tsubasa said. “It’s life. I still expect them to work on controlling their behavior, but I wouldn’t want either of them to get into deep trouble for something they’re still learning to handle. Besides, they seem to have made up already.”

It was true. There was nothing personal involved in the fight between Karin and Ryo; it had been a purely instinctual, spur of the moment thing. If anything, they respected each other a little more, especially now that they knew their parents were acquainted.

Karin was uncharacteristically quiet once they arrived home, but Nozomi was content to let her sort out her thoughts alone until Eli could talk to her. It was best, she thought, for that conversation to be an alpha-to-alpha one. However, the phone conversation she had with Eli (away from Karin’s ears, of course) really rubbed her the wrong way, as she could _never_ imagine trying to keep Karin and Ai apart. The cubs shared a special bond, one Nozomi likened to Rin and Hanayo’s for its roots in innocent childhood, and she felt that imposing restrictions on them now would be cruel.

Nozomi went up to Karin’s room after hanging up with Eli. “Little cub? We’re on grocery duty this week. Why don’t you and I get that done before Mommy comes home? We’re supposed to meet her coworker for dinner tonight, so I’m sure she’d appreciate having to do one less thing.”

“Yes, Mama.” Karin got up from the bed, where she’d been fiddling with her phone, and went to nuzzle her mother. She didn’t want to admit it out loud, but she was glad that it was only Nozomi who came to pick her up today. She feared Eli might be disappointed in her for losing control at school again after so many years, and she dreaded even more the lengthy and no doubt embarrassing discussion that was sure to come.

Kiyoko insisted on tagging along for the shopping trip, and Nozomi was pleased to have both of her girls to herself for a bit. She and Nico were the only two stay-at-home members of the pack, and it sometimes got tiring keeping all the cubs too young for school out of trouble.

“Mama, can we have hot chocolate tonight?” Kiyoko asked while they perused the available meats at the supermarket.

“I think it’s a bit too warm out for hot chocolate, don’t you?” Nozomi decided on pork over chicken for tonight, and handed it to Kiyoko to deposit in their basket.

“But Mommy loves hot chocolate!” Kiyoko said. “We can surprise her when she gets home!”

“Ohh, you wanna do a surprise, huh? Okay, how about we finish getting everything on our list first, though? I’ll let you cross them off as we get them.” Nozomi handed the shopping list and the pen to her tiny alpha. “Go ahead and cross off the meat. Yes, that’s the one, good girl. Next we need… Oh, Karin, why don’t you run and get the eggs? You know where they are, right?”

“Of course!” Karin had gone on enough shopping trips with her parents to know the entire layout of the store. The eggs were on the opposite wall to the meats, so Karin hurried over. Her phone buzzed while she was inspecting the eggs for cracks, and she was pleased to see that it was Ai.

**AI-SAMA** : hey hope ur ok karin-chan, u really scared me!!! im home now and feel terrible, wish we could hang out

**Karin:** i’m fine, but i’m sorry about the way i acted today. i didn’t mean to do all that weird stuff, hope it won’t affect our friendship

**AI-SAMA:** why would it?? actually i rly wanted to talk to u abt smth kinda serious

**Karin:** what is it?

A bump to her side and an unfamiliar musk brought Karin back to reality in the supermarket. An alpha woman reached past her to grab some eggs, and Karin instinctively stepped back and bristled at the perceived intrusion.

“Sorry, don’t mind me, little alpha,” said the stranger. “If you don’t mind me saying, you have a very beautiful scent. What’s your name?”

The alpha’s odd comment did nothing to ease Karin’s nerves; if anything, it only exacerbated her negative response. She refused to lose herself to an uncontrolled shift again, though, so she swallowed hard and put every ounce of her focus into keeping composed.

“I-it’s Karin,” she said, and only then did she remember Eli warning her against giving her real name out to strange people. This alpha most definitely qualified as a strange person. She was rather tall and athletic-looking, and carried herself with a cool confidence rivaling Eli’s. She smiled kindly at Karin, but _something_ about her put the cub on edge.

“Karin, huh? That’s a very cute name,” said the alpha. “I’m guessing you must live around here, then? Are your parents here with you today?”

Karin took a step back. This was a textbook example of “stranger danger,” she realized, and the fact that she was an alpha cub and the stranger was an adult alpha added yet another layer of threatening tension. Mommy often told her the stories growing up – frightening tales of alphas who slaughtered alpha cubs in cold blood and snatched up omega cubs for their own use (whatever that meant). It always sounded a bit too fairytale-villain to Karin, but not a single member of Muse nor Aqours denied its truth.

“Well... I have to go now,” Karin said, and bolted from the aisle. She felt the fur begin to prick through her skin as she put as much distance as possible between herself and the unsettling, smiling alpha and her foreign musk. In her haste to get away, though, she crashed right into another shopper’s cart and thudded to the tile, splattering her eggs everywhere.

“What do you think you’re doing, running in the store like that?” the old woman chided her. “And look, now you’ve got eggs all over the floor.”

Karin sat up, rubbing her hurt elbow and surveying the damage. “I-I’m sorry, ma’am, I was just… Someone…” For some reason, the old woman’s tone combined with the sight of the broken eggs, the judgmental (so she thought) eyes of the other shoppers, and the experience with the alpha just made her want to cry. She stood up, cheeks burning, and bowed an apology to the woman. “Sorry…”

“Karin? What happened here?”

Nozomi appeared out of the next aisle, eyes wide with surprise at the sight of the mess of goop and eggshells covering both the floor and her daughter. Karin was at her side almost instantly, and nuzzled her like the sad cub she was.

“I want to go home, Mama.”

Nozomi blinked. “Ah- Okay. But we still need to get some help with this mess, and we still need to get some eggs to take home. Come on. We’re almost done.”

Karin walked behind Nozomi and Kiyoko, eyes darting all around and body tensed to shift at any moment should the strange alpha appear and try anything unsavory. In Eli’s absence, Karin felt it was her responsibility to keep her mother and her baby sister safe, no matter how afraid she was of cub-slaying alphas. Nozomi’s suddenly-stiff posture did not escape Karin’s notice once they were near the egg cartons again.

“Little cub,” Nozomi said, “what did that alpha you mentioned look like?”

“Uhm, kinda tall, grey…ish… hair? Like You-san’s, kind of. She told me I had a ‘beautiful’ scent and asked me-”

“Nozomi-chan!” Said grey-headed alpha appeared from around the corner and began to approach them, again with that unnerving smile on her face. “It’s certainly been a while.”

Karin looked questioningly at Nozomi, but found her mother was simply frozen and staring.

“Come on,” said the alpha as she finally stopped just feet away from the little family. “Don’t you remember me?”

Nozomi came back to her senses quickly, and her expression grew bitter. “I remember you.” She turned to her daughters, who were still looking confused, and urged them to follow her. “Let’s go, girls.”

Karin didn’t understand what was happening or who this alpha was, but she gave her what she hoped was an intimidating warning glare before following after her mother. They quickly made their way to the checkout and paid for their items, and once they were outside, Karin decided to ask what this was all about.

“Do you know her, Mama? Maybe she started talking to me because I smell kinda like you.”

Nozomi didn’t answer for a while, not until Karin nudged her and asked again. Finally, she said, “I knew her in school, yes. We weren’t friends.”

“Oh… Then why did she call you-”

“Nozomi-chan!” The alpha came running out of the store, seemingly out of breath. “Nozomi-chan, wait up! Look, it’s been a long time, why don’t we… catch up a bit? Maybe grab some coffee?” She reached her hand out to touch Nozomi’s shoulder.

That was a mistake. Karin had never seen her mother shift so fast or heard her snarl more viciously. “ _Don’t you touch me_!” Nozomi slashed at the alpha’s intrusive hand, leaving behind three bloody gashes.

The alpha woman cried out and took a few steps back, clutching her hand. “So you’re a fighter now, huh?” she said. “That’s a shock. Back when I knew you, you were like a perfect little doll. Guess Ayase never got around to keeping you in your place.”

Fur burst from Karin’s skin at the mention of Eli’s name, and she placed herself between Nozomi and the alpha, a deep growl rumbling in her throat. “What would you know about her?”

Kiyoko clung to her mother’s skirt, breathing hard. “Mama! Mama!” Her voice wavered between human and animal, and Nozomi held her tightly against her, hoping to delay or prevent a shift.

“Little cub, step away from her,” Nozomi ordered. Karin ignored her, instead choosing to show her fangs and snarl threats at the opposing alpha, and Nozomi felt an unusual flash of anger. “Karin, I said get back. _Now_.”

The uncharacteristic sharpness in Nozomi’s tone startled Karin, and she did back away, but kept her eyes on the grey alpha even as she returned to Nozomi’s side. Once Nozomi was satisfied that both her girls were close and safe with her, she spoke to the alpha.

“Naoko. Eli should have put you in the ground when she had the chance,” she said. “If you _ever_ come near me or my children again, I’ll put you there myself.”

Naoko did not seem the least bit frightened by Karin’s growls or Nozomi’s threat. Her eyes lingered for a bit on Kiyoko, who still clutched at Nozomi’s skirt, fighting her wild alpha shift. “We’ll see.”

 

Nozomi refused to share any more details about her connections to the grocery store alpha, and, upon returning home, promptly took Eli into their bedroom to talk. Karin had so many questions, and none, it seemed, would be answered tonight, or possibly ever. Today really wasn’t her day, and she decided to just throw on her pajamas and take it easy for the rest of the night, homework be damned.

“Hey, Karin!” Rin greeted her when she stepped into the living room. The orange alpha was on the couch with Hanayo and Kasumi, playing video games. “I brought your school bag home. I put it over there for you. Oh, and Setsuna said she put extra notes in your books, too, so you wouldn’t miss anything! You okay now?”

Karin crossed the room and shared scents with Rin, and then Hanayo. “I’ll be fine,” she said, unsure if she should bring up the incident at the store. “I think I’m just gonna go up to my room for a bit. I’m all tired out.”

“Okay!” Rin nodded. “Come play with us if you want! Kasumi and Kayochin are destroying me, I need some backup!”

“Maybe later.”

Karin grabbed her school bag and headed upstairs to her room. There she found a mysterious, never-before-seen book on her desk, one marked with a sticker from the same public library that Hanamaru-san managed. It was titled, _A Cub’s Guide to Shifting Bodies and Brains_ , and its appearance was rather timely considering the day’s events. Which reminded her…

There were several messages from Ai waiting to be read on Karin’s phone, all sent over the span of an hour. She’d been so caught up in everything that happened at the store that she completely forgot about the text conversation she was having with her friend.

**AI-SAMA:** i kno u said u didnt mean to do all that stuff today, but tbh i kinda liked it? the hug i mean, not the fight

**AI-SAMA:** ive been thinkin abt it all day

**AI-SAMA:** i think id rly like it if we could be close like that evry day u kno? since we were little i always thought id be ur mate wen we grew up

**AI-SAMA:** what do u think

**AI-SAMA:** hey karin

**AI-SAMA:** u still there

**AI-SAMA:** ?

**AI-SAMA:** lol karin its ok i was just kidding abt the mate thing, thatd be so weird ur my best friend haha :)

**AI-SAMA:** guess ill talk to u later

Karin stared at the messages as heat crept into her cheeks. Sure, their interaction in the bathroom this afternoon had been playing quite frequently in Karin’s head since it happened, but in the heat of the moment, she hadn’t actually been thinking about what she was doing. It simply felt right to brush herself up against her omega friend and take in her wondrous scent. It had nothing to do with her actual feelings, and everything to do with her alpha brain.

Perhaps Kasumi was right, after all. Ai’s face-saving message was flimsy and completely transparent, and Karin felt a little pang of guilt for leaving her friend hanging and likely hurting her feelings. But how was she to reply? The suggestion that they ought to be mates was one that had never even crossed Karin’s mind before. It wasn’t that she ever imagined living life apart from Ai; it was just that she never considered their friendship evolving into something more.

“Karin?”

Eli appeared in the doorway, and Karin quickly flipped her phone over to conceal Ai’s texts (not that Eli could read them from such a distance). Eli stared at her cub for a moment, noting her pink cheeks and the flipped phone, and then seemed to become flustered.

“Ah, Karin, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to barge in,” she said. “But, um, Mama and I are going to meet my new coworker for dinner in a minute. Umi and Honoka are cooking tonight. And… I want to talk to you for a bit when I get home. Okay?”

“Okay, Mom,” Karin said. “There’s some stuff I wanted to ask you about, too, so...”

Eli smiled and nodded. “Then I’ll see you when I get back. Love you.”

“Love you.”

Eli left, and shut the door behind her. Karin’s mind returned to Ai and her messages, and she wrestled with a number of possible responses, but none were satisfactory. She could not convey her feelings on the matter in words if she did not even understand her feelings to begin with. She rolled over onto her stomach and groaned with her face in the pillow. Why did life have to become so complicated over the course of a single day?

**Karin:** i’m sorry ai, i wasn’t ignoring you, i was at the store with mama and a lot happened. i’ve been thinking about you today too. let’s talk when you get back to school

Karin set her phone aside and shut her eyes as her thoughts drifted once more over the day’s events. It was too stressful to relive her near-battle with the strange alpha Naoko, and it set her heart thumping a bit too hard. She’d have to address the matter with Eli later, since Nozomi refused to talk about it. Her fight with Ryo was stressful, too, but in a much different way. A more relaxing thought, though, was of Ai’s heat scent and their bodies pressing together. Regardless of the actual situation between them now, the memory of the moment was a pleasant one, and it sent a tingle through Karin’s most delicate parts.

Recalling the way she’d rocked her hips against Ai’s, Karin now did the same to her bed, all the while imagining she was right back in the bathroom with her friend, and found that the sensation was _almost_ as satisfying. Thus Karin discovered an all-time classic adolescent pastime. What she forgot to consider – or, rather, did not know to consider – was that Eli would smell it when she came back to have their little chat.

She absolutely would smell it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is really dang long compared to the others but i had a lot i wanted to include before i advanced the story to the next day so i hope u like it anyway
> 
> also happy birthday nozomi, my best muse girl

When they were shopping for homes to buy, Mari insisted on finding one with a balcony, precisely so she and Kanan could share moments like these. The summertime sun hung low in the sky now, at last offering a little relief from its oppressive afternoon rays, and Mari, wine glass in hand, leaned on the balcony railing and observed the golden evening glow of the neighborhood. Kanan was there beside her, with her own glass of plain water (she wasn’t much of a drinker), and one arm around her mate’s waist.

“Our baby’s growing up, huh, Kanan-chan?” said Mari.

“Too fast, if you ask me,” Kanan replied. “I had enough trouble believing it when she turned 13, and now she’s already having her first heat… I mean, I’m happy, I’m proud of her and I want her to grow up well, but… I guess I just miss when she was little and needed me for everything.”

Mari blinked in surprise. Catching Kanan so candid was rare, indeed. “Kanan-chan, Ai will always need you,” she said. “You’re her father. You’re one of the most important people she has!”

“I guess that is true.” Kanan leaned over the railing and let her chin rest in her hand, a deep, contemplative frown on her face. “What should we do, Mari?”

Mari knew she meant Karin. She sipped at her drink for a bit in silence, letting the memories of her own first heat and first mating drift through her mind. It went about as well as expected for a couple of kids just barely breaking into adolescence – that is, sloppy, awkward, and minimally pleasurable – but it was one of Mari’s fondest memories. She’d felt so grown up back then, sharing such intense intimacy with her little mate. Now that she was an actual adult, however, she recognized how much of a child she’d really been, and in turn how Ai and Karin now were still just children.

“Well, nothing we say can really be fair, considering we mated the day of my first heat,” Mari said with a little giggle. “But I don’t think it’s unreasonable to separate them whenever Ai is in heat, do you? I mean, it’d be pretty irresponsible to just let them at each other!”

“I guess that’s a pretty simple solution,” Kanan said. “What about when she’s not in heat?”

“What _about_ when she’s not in heat?” Mari downed the last of her drink and smacked her lips against the tang. “There’s hardly any risk there. No matter what we do or say to keep them from doing all those naughty things we used to do, they’ll still find a way if they really want to. So, our objective as parents is to make sure we get them safely and responsibly to adulthood before any little grandcubs show up!”

Kanan sighed. Mari made everything sound so easy. The papa in her wanted to simply lock Ai away forever, far from the leering eyes and filthy cocks of all the world’s alphas, but that, of course, was ridiculous, and Mari would never allow it, anyway. She did have to admit that Karin was an ideal choice of mate for her cub; she was kind, respectful, and adorably innocent, if a little oblivious. Eli and Nozomi were doing a fine job bringing her up, and Kanan much preferred her to some other lecherous teen alpha.

“That’s a lot easier said than done,” Kanan said. “Then again, it’s Karin… I haven’t heard so much as a potty joke out of her mouth in all the years we’ve known her. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if she didn’t even know where babies came from.”

“We were pretty lucky growing up if you think about it,” Mari said, turning to face Kanan and wrap her arms around her. Her voice took on a husky, teasing quality. “You came inside me so many times I’m surprised we didn’t end up with a whole litter of cubs.”

“ _Mari!_ ”

Mari only winked and moved in for a kiss, but Kanan stopped her, suddenly tense.

“Hold on,” she said. “I smell someone.”

The couple looked out over the balcony again. Across their expansive front yard came a stranger, an alpha by the scent of her, carrying a basket and with a young cub in tow. Kanan gently moved Mari back towards the bedroom, and pulled the curtains shut behind them.

“Stay up here,” Kanan said. “I’ll go see who it is.”

Downstairs, You and Chika were cooking up something yummy in the kitchen while Sayuri begged them for just a little taste, please! She was so hungry! Dia nagged at her cub to step away and let them work, but the baby alpha was insistent, and You, ever the indulgent auntie, snuck her little bits and pieces of meat whenever she thought no one was looking.

“Hey!” Chika said. “If you keep feeding her so much, we’re not gonna have enough for everyone else!”

“Aw, man! You saw?”

In the living room, Yoshiko and Ruby were watching Japan’s Next Top Alpha while Setsuna tried to focus on her schoolwork over their excited chatter. Only Riko and Hanamaru were missing, but they were due home from work within the hour.

“Where are you going?” Yoshiko asked when she noticed Kanan heading for the front door.

“There’s an alpha outside,” Kanan said. “I’m going to see who it is. I’m sure it’s nothing, but stay alert.”

The stranger alpha was just about to press the doorbell when Kanan opened the door up and startled her. She quickly regained her composure, smoothing her skirt and smiling sweetly.

“Can I help you?” Kanan asked.

“Hi there! My name is Naoko Fujishiro, and this is my daughter, Yumi. I’m new around these parts,” said the alpha. “I just moved into the apartments near the station. Someone told me there were some shifter families in this neighborhood, so I came to say hello.” She nudged her daughter forward. “Say hi, Yumi-chan.”

“Kanan Matsuura.” She glanced down at the little omega girl, who bristled and glared instead of greeting her, and whose fear scent came on strong for a cub.

“Nice to meet you, Matsuura-san.” Naoko gave a polite bow, and nudged her daughter, urging her to do the same. “Don’t be rude, Yumi-chan, say hello to Matsuura-san.”

Yumi flinched away from Naoko’s touch and quickly complied with a clumsy bow and a soft, “Nice to meet you.”

“Sorry, she’s a little shy,” Naoko said. She offered her little basket to Kanan. “I’m sure it must seem a little suspicious for me to just show up on your doorstep like this, and for that I’m sorry. But I brought some treats for you and your family as a friendship offering! I hope you’ll accept.”

Kanan looked the grey-haired alpha up and down thoughtfully. She was about Kanan’s own height, and despite her friendly demeanor and sweet smile, had a body that looked tough enough to take her on, too. Up close, she recognized the basket as one of Homura’s pricier gift bundles, and Kanan thought that perhaps this Naoko really had come in good faith. 

It was the cub that bothered her; something was off about her behavior and her demeanor, though Kanan supposed it might have been simply that she was a tiny omega faced with a strange alpha and surrounded by unfamiliar scent markers. Still, the sharpness of her fear scent and the way she avoided contact with her mother made Kanan uncomfortable, and perhaps it wasn’t her business, but she felt compelled to dig deeper, anyway. It was the papa in her again.

“Alright. I accept your gift,” Kanan said, and took the basket. “I won’t step on your toes if you won’t step on mine. Welcome to the neighborhood, Fujishiro-san. Do you have any other family?”

“Oh, thank you!” Naoko said. “It’s just me and Yumi-chan right now. It’s a little embarrassing, but even at my age I still don’t have a mate or a pack. I noticed your house is, uh, quite big, so I assume you have a big family? I think it’d be good for Yumi-chan to have some playmates like her.”

“Yes, we have a…” Kanan stopped herself from revealing too much information. She’d just made a truce with this alpha, but she still couldn’t _trust_ her yet. “We do have a big family. Yumi’s welcome to come play anytime.” She smiled at the little girl, who promptly averted her eyes.

“We should probably get going now,” Naoko said, and took a deep breath. “It smells like you’ve got something wonderful cooking in there.”

Kanan became acutely aware of the scent of Ai’s heat that lingered beneath the dinnertime aromas, and felt of a surge of protectiveness. “It is time for dinner, yes.” She closed the door just enough that her body blocked access to the inside. “Why don’t you two come by here for lunch tomorrow? If you’re not too busy, that is. I’m sure the kids would have a good time.”

“We surely will!” Naoko smiled brightly. “Thank you so much, Matsuura-san. I was worried no one would want to accept a single alpha like me. I know I must seem so strange… But I look forward to getting to know you better!”

“Who was it?” Mari asked immediately after her mate closed the door. “And is that a Homura basket?”

“I told you to stay upstairs...” Kanan grumbled. “Anyway, it was some alpha. She said her name was Fujishiro, and that she just moved into the apartments over by the station. She gave us this basket as a sign of friendship.”

“I’m surprised you accepted, Kanan-chan,” Mari said, peering into the basket to get a better look at the goodies within. “You’re usually so mean with other alphas!”

“Mm, well, she had an omega cub with her,” Kanan said. “If not for her, I probably would have sent her away. The last thing I need is a weird alpha creeping around here while my daughter starts her heat cycle… But the little girl was acting so weird, Mari, and I can’t help but think something isn’t quite right about her.”

The grin faded from Mari’s face. “And what do you plan to do about it if something _isn’t_ right?”

“What kind of question is that supposed to be?” Kanan rubbed her temples. “You know, this has been a pretty stressful day. I think I’m gonna go to bed after dinner… Just stay on the alert tonight, girls, and don’t open the door for any other alphas.”

 

Karin at first thought she’d wet herself, but her panic over that was quickly overridden by panic at the dramatic pulses and convulsions in her alpha bits. She stayed flat and frozen on her bed until the pleasurably alarming sensation subsided, and even then she was too frightened to move until the dampness in her undies began to bother her. She stood and yanked her shorts down, fully expecting to find piss or blood or something equally as devastating, only to be met with an odd, whitish fluid soaking through the fabric.

“Oh no…”

Her heart thudded in her chest as she considered the mystery excretion. The only viable explanation was that her penis was now damaged irreparably – the occasional twitch and the peculiar “buzz” she still felt in it were further indicators of this – and she was probably going to die. Her legs began to feel shaky, so she sat herself down on the edge of the bed and kicked the offensive underpants away. She could see it now: her heartbroken parents finding her soiled underwear and wondering why, oh why, did she have to die this way? Karin silently petitioned the gods for a kinder fate than death by broken penis disease.

She stayed seated on the bed like that for a while, just pondering her situation and debating whether or not to tell her parents about her plight. She’d done the deed in innocence, and in fact did not even know _what_ deed she’d even done, but still she felt a surge of shame and embarrassment at just the thought of trying to explain her actions to Eli.

There was a lot of back-and-forth and flip-and-flop involved before Karin at last decided to call her mother. She didn’t have to get into the ugly details of how she rubbed herself against her bed until she convulsed and peed out a weird substance, she only needed to say that she was sick, and Mommy and Mama would come running back to help her.

“Mom,” she said once Eli finally picked up, “are you almost done with your dinner thing? I think I’m getting sick…”

“Sick?” Eli’s concern was plain even over the phone. “What kind of sick? Did you throw up? Does your stomach hurt?”

“No… I just feel shaky and weird.”

“Shaky? Okay, Mama and I will be home in just a little bit,” Eli said. “Just lay down and rest, okay? Maybe see if Nico will make you some tea or something to make you feel better.”

“Okay, I will.”

Karin found some fresh undies and put them on before venturing out on her unsteady legs. She meant to find Nico, but she found Kotori first, as they both were headed for the stairs at the same time.

“Kotori,” Karin said, “I’m feeling sick. Mom told me some tea might make me feel better? Do you think so?”

“You’re sick, Karin-chan?” Kotori put a hand to the cub’s forehead and wrinkled her nose. “You don’t feel like you have a temperature. You do smell pretty, um, different, though. I can make you some tea if you think that’ll help! Why don’t you go lay down? I’ll bring it up to you.”

Karin tucked herself back into the bed, and Kotori arrived shortly afterward with a hot mug of tea for her, which she gratefully accepted. Kotori sat down on Karin’s bed and gave her hair an affectionate stroke, all the while pretending not to notice the pungent musk that hung heavy the room.

“Kasumi told me what happened,” Kotori said. “Sounds like you had a pretty hard day, Karin-chan.”

“Yeah...” Karin felt somehow that she could confide in Kotori, so she continued. “Today was probably the worst day ever. I even lost control at school! I haven’t lost control in years. I don’t even know why I did any of that, it was just… I don’t know, I smelled Ai, and then… I dunno…”

Kotori nodded her understanding. “Yeah… That’s just something you’ll have to learn to deal with as an alpha. It’ll get easier as you get older, just like when you learned to control your shifts.” She eventually noticed Karin’s wet undies crumpled on the floor, and though she tried to look away quickly, Karin followed her gaze and turned a fantastic shade of red.

“Um! That’s just, uh, some laundry!”

Kotori sighed. Cubs were so transparent. “That’s what this is about, huh, Karin-chan?” she said. “It’s normal, you know? You don’t have to be worried about it. I won’t tell anyone, okay? But you might like to look through that book your mom got for you.” She nodded towards the desk. “I’m sure it can answer any of the questions you might have. And you can always ask me, too.”

She leaned in to share scents with the embarrassed cub and then stood up to leave, but Karin stopped her.

“Wait!”

Kotori sank back down onto the bed and cocked her head, urging Karin to continue.

“Um…” Karin stared down into her mug, searching for the right words. “You’ve known Honoka and Umi since you were kids, right?”

“I have,” Kotori said. She knew what Karin was about to ask her, given the situation with her childhood friend Ai, but she waited for her to voice the question in her own words.

“Since you’ve been friends that long, and now you’re mates, then…” It took a long time for Karin to get over the awkwardness and just ask, but Kotori was patient with her. “How did you know it was more than just friendship with them? Ai sent me a weird text today, and I think she meant she wanted to be, uh… mates. With me. And I don’t really know what to do… I’ve never even thought of that before!”

Kotori nodded her understanding. “It can be a little weird, huh?” She turned her gaze to the ceiling as she tried to pinpoint exactly when it was that she started to develop romantic attraction to her now-mates, but that was impossible. Their feelings had evolved organically through shared experiences, and it was only natural that they ended up together. “I can’t say for sure when I started having those feelings. It happened so gradually that I didn’t really notice. But, Karin-chan, you should just be honest about what you’re feeling! I’m sure Ai-chan will understand no matter what you decide to do.”

“I guess so.” Karin was hoping for a more definitive answer, but, as she was very rapidly learning, _feelings_ and _emotions_ were rarely so cut and dry as they were on TV.

 

Dinner with Sarah was lovely. Things were tense at first, as Sarah’s sister, Leah, who was also an alpha, was clearly not happy with Eli’s casual and confident presence. Whether her displeasure was on a personal, emotional level or on a baser, alpha-brain one, Eli couldn’t be sure. It was a good hour before the tips of Leah’s fur stopped threatening to push through her skin, and another before she actually cracked a smile at one of Nozomi’s off-color sex jokes.

“I’m so glad you two were able to make it,” Sarah said. “Leah was worried we might not be able to make any shifter friends here.”

“Well, it’s not really _that_ ,” Leah insisted. “It’s just… I’ve heard some things about Tokyo. That’s all.”

“We’ve only had one major conflict in our neighborhood – well, since we bought our house, anyway – and that was several years ago now,” Eli said. “Things have been peaceful since. In my opinion it’s been a great place to raise a family!”

“Our cousins moved out here some years back,” Sarah said. “One liked it, and she ended up staying, but in a different neighborhood. Her sister said the community was too rough, and she moved back home. She actually advised against us coming here, but I got such a good offer with this company that I couldn’t refuse. I like what I’ve seen so far, and, of course, I thank you and Nozomi-san for being so welcoming.”

“Well, we’re glad to have you,” Eli said. “We should definitely get together again sometime.”

The dinner date ended on a good note, and Eli was happy to have made some new friends, even if Leah remained somewhat standoffish. Nozomi seemed pleased, as well, but there was still a slight tension in her features caused no doubt by her earlier encounter with Naoko. That wasn’t an issue that was simply going to disappear, after all. They discussed it only once they were both comfortably in their nightclothes.

“I just worry about our babies,” Nozomi was saying. “You didn’t _see_ the way she looked at Kiyoko.”

Eli gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Nozomi, you know I’d never let anything happen to our cubs,” she said. “We’ve got our entire pack to back us up – that includes Aqours, too. And, heck… Sarah and Leah might even end up being close allies, too.”

“I know, Elicchi.” Nozomi leaned her head back against the pillow with a sigh. It was difficult to convey to Eli the intensity of the dread that welled up within her both now and during her encounter with Naoko. She was a fairly well-adjusted woman more than twenty years after escaping Naoko’s abuses and falling in love with Eli, but coming face-to-face with her former tormentor dredged up so many negative feelings and memories that she would have much preferred to keep buried.

“…Are you going to check on Karin?” Nozomi asked, deciding to change the subject before she twisted her stomach into any more knots.

“I should, yeah, before it gets too late.”

Eli went up to Karin’s room and knocked softly, but received no answer. She waited a moment before twisting the knob and peering inside. It was dark, and Karin was lying on the bed with the blankets kicked down to her feet, fast asleep. She may not have been such a little girl anymore, but Eli still found her so utterly adorable in moments like these. She crept into the room, checked that Karin’s alarm was set for school in the morning, turned on the desk fan to keep her cool, and finally bent to give her cub a kiss good night.

“Mommy…” Karin’s words were slurred with sleep, and Eli smiled.

“Sorry I took so long to get back,” Eli said. “Let’s talk tomorrow, okay? Good night.”

Karin’s eyes fluttered shut again. “Night…”

Poor cub must have been really exhausted and sick to have turned in so early. When Eli returned to her own bedroom, she found that a little intruder had taken her spot. Eli dove into the bed, grabbed the sneaky little cub before she could escape, and played at eating her up.

“Mommy!” Kiyoko squealed. She kicked and scrambled away from Eli, giggling, and returned to Nozomi. “Don’t you eat me!”

“I will too eat up any little alphas who steal my spot!”

Eli enjoyed riling up Kiyoko and getting her to finally break out in her furs and tussle. Kiyoko was not at all the rambunctious little cub that Karin was, so it took a lot of grabbing and tickling and growling to get her to reach that point. It was important for her to shift and play rough, Eli told Nozomi, or else she’d never learn to control her shifts in more serious situations. Now, Kiyoko fought back against Eli’s tickles with all her might, and was encouraged when she finally managed to get a scratch in.

“Alright, alright, settle down now, Kiyoko,” Nozomi said when she’d finally had enough of the little game. “Jeez, Elicchi, getting her all worked up before bed…”

Eli restrained Kiyoko’s wrists as the cub stomped her feet and gave a baby roar. Eli and Nozomi pretended to be shocked and afraid, but actually she was just tiny and cute, and Eli at last scooped her up and covered her furry face in kisses. It was easy for Kiyoko to wind back down in the safety of her parents’ bedroom, for one thing because she’d shifted only in play, and another because the room and particularly the bed smelled heavily of Eli and Nozomi. Soon she was drowsy and cozy between her parents, and Eli turned out the light.

“Mama,” she whispered, “tomorrow can I go with Maki to Aqours’ house? Mari-san said I can come over and play with Sayuri.”

“I don’t see why not,” Nozomi replied. “Better get to sleep now, love. The quicker you fall asleep, the quicker you can wake up and play!”

“Wait!” Kiyoko sat upright. “Where’s Foxy-san?”

Foxy-san was a yellow stuffed fox who belonged to Nozomi. He was a Valentine’s day gift from Eli many, many years ago, and though he was very well-loved, he was still in perfectly clean and cuddly condition. He was never permitted to leave the bedroom, but the cubs enjoyed playing and sleeping with him whenever they spent the night with their parents. Eli retrieved the little fox from his perch on the shelf and delivered him to Kiyoko, who promptly snuggled him to sleep.

 

Maki sometimes wondered why she ever agreed to have another child. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her present daughter, Reine – she _did_ , to a previously unimaginable degree – but Maki considered herself more of a career woman, and the thought of yet another little cub to care for and raise was one that frightened her. It was too late to turn back, though; Nico’s puppy-dog eyes had done her in, and her belly now protruded just enough for her to notice. Another month or so and everyone _else_ would be able to notice, too.

Today was Thursday, and it was Maki’s day off. Incidentally, it was also Riko’s day off, and when their off days coincided, the two of them always met up to make music together. Nico was wary of their meetings at first, and insisted on tagging along, but her overbearing presence was not conducive to the creative flow, and she was eventually booted out of their sessions. This only made the number-one alpha in the universe more upset, and she then suggested having sex with Maki beforehand. That turned out to be uncomfortable for everyone, as it was obvious that Riko could smell the sex musk.

“Nico-chan, you’re being stupid,” Maki eventually told her. “Do you really think I’d be waving an affair right under your nose like that? No! Look, if I really wanted to leave you, I would. And I don’t.”

“Oh yeah? Prove it!” was Nico’s response.

Maki accepted her mate’s challenge, and that was how she ended up taking Nico on one of the cheesiest, mushiest, most embarrassing dates of all time. To this day, Maki does not divulge the details of that day, but it shut Nico’s jealous mouth for good.

Reine and Kiyoko accompanied Maki to the Aqours home. They were excited to get their hands on Sayuri’s new water guns, which she’d acquired as a reward for not marking in the house for an entire two weeks. Kiyoko was a couple years older and a whole lot calmer than Reine, and Maki appreciated having a little extra help in wrangling her excitable cub and getting her safely to the other pack’s house.

Maki and Riko went off to the piano room to get started (Kiyoko was still astounded that the Aqours pack had an entire room dedicated just to the piano), and so the three little cubs made their way to the backyard to play.

“We have four guns, but only three people to play,” Kiyoko said.

“I want two guns!” Reine cried.

“You can’t have two guns, Reine, that’s not fair!” Sayuri said, and ignored the younger cub’s pout. “Ai can’t play today ‘cause Mama said she’s sick. And Setsuna is at school… Papa said her and Mama are having a guest, and Mom doesn’t like to play water guns.”

You was conveniently walking out to the pool just as the cubs were about to give up the fourth gun. Sayuri dashed over to her and clung to her legs, chattering excitedly.

“Cap! Cap! Come play with us! We wanna play water guuuns, come ooon, we need four people!”

“Water guns, huh?” You grinned and ruffled Sayuri’s hair. “Okay, okay, I’ll play! Let’s go!” She broke away from Sayuri and began to run, and the cubs squealed with delight.

Mari watched the four of them play from the pool deck, where she’d laid out a spread of finger foods to nibble on with their guest, Naoko. You had always been good with the little ones, and scenes like these were more than a little bittersweet for Mari considering You’s desperate struggle to become a father. You was one of Ayumu’s parents, of course, and she loved her fiercely, but she wasn’t Papa to Ayumu, she was Cap.

“You okay, Mari?” Kanan nudged her and frowned.

“I’m fine,” Mari said. “I was just thinking about You and Chika… You know.”

“Yeah…”

The arrival of Naoko and Yumi interrupted that somber train of thought. Kanan let her in through the gate in the fence, rather than through the house, as Ai _was_ still in heat, and Kanan would never risk her cub’s life or innocence.

“Nice to see you!” Naoko greeted. She crossed the pool deck and seated herself across from Mari and Kanan. Yumi took the seat beside her, and was quiet while the adults talked. Her fear scent was somewhat muted today, to Kanan’s relief, but the cub still cast several uneasy glances in You’s direction.

Mari misunderstood those glances. “Don’t be shy, darling, you can go play, too! That’s my little girl and her friends. I’m sure they’ll want to be friends with you, too!”

Yumi only shook her head, but Naoko shared some encouraging words, too.

“Go on, Yumi-chan, it might be fun! I think that little girl with the purple hair is Nozomi-san’s daughter, too, isn’t she?”

“Oh? You know Nozomi, Fujishiro-san?” Mari raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“I do!” said Naoko. “We were friends in high school. I met with her again at the store yesterday, actually! It was a really pleasant surprise.”

“Small world, huh?” Kanan said. “We’re very close with her and her family. They made us feel welcome in this neighborhood, so… I hope we can do that for you, too.”

Sayuri bounded over to the table and forced herself into Naoko’s face. Naoko was visibly annoyed by this, and Kanan pulled her away and dumped her into Mari’s lap.

“Mama, Papa! Who’s this? Is this the guest?” Sayuri asked. She then turned her attention to Yumi, and Mari had to restrain her from invading the little omega’s space, too. “Wow! A kid, too? Wanna come play guns with us?”

You and the other two cubs approached, eager to see who the new little girl was. You smiled her most friendly smile and offered the fourth gun to Yumi, as it was only appropriate that it be passed to a proper cub, and a guest besides. Yumi saw no kindness in the act, and within seconds she was shifted and scrambling as far into the chair as possible, snarling for all she was worth. Naoko tried to grab her, but the frightened omega lashed out at her, too.

“Sorry about this,” Naoko said as she restrained the little one. The tiny claws that tried to tear at her skin were nothing to her. “She’s very reactive, especially for an omega.”

The back door opened then and Maki emerged with the phone to her ear. She started speaking before she even took in the situation unfolding before her.

“Reine! Mommy’s on the phone and she wants to know what you want for…”

Yumi’s fear scent hit her first, followed by the repulsive musk of who was once Otonokizaka’s top alpha. It was Naoko, and she was sitting right there, just feet away from Reine, and Kiyoko. Her phone call with Nico forgotten, Maki shifted instantly and rushed onto the scene, bellowing like a beast and intent on putting the offensive alpha down.

“Maki-chan?” came Nico’s muffled voice from the phone in the grass. “Maki-chan, what’s going on? What’s that I’m hearing?!”

She meant all the roaring and the crashing and clanging, of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> real shit tho the first time i had an orgasm it scared me and i had to post on fucking scarleteen forums for reassurance


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't know where this story is going anymore but i'm determined to see it through to the end, dang it! sorry if the latest chapters seem a little rambly but i swear i'm going somewhere with this. thank you guys always for reading and commenting, i would never have written this much without yall's response, i love u
> 
> also add me on sif  
> en/ww: 017926447  
> jp: 789168765

Maki lay coughing and spluttering on the stone tiles of the deck, with her clothes and fur all drenched with pool water. The shattered remnants of Mari’s no doubt expensive china dishes, as well as her homemade lunch, were strewn about the deck, and the table, which was once where Maki rested, now lay upturned several feet away. Kanan stood nearby, also shifted and soaked, with her chest still heaving from the heat of the moment.

Naoko was long gone, having been driven from the property by Kanan and You, though neither of them quite understood the situation. Maki had simply exploded onto the scene and flipped the table and all its contents onto Naoko (and little Yumi, though unintentionally), and then lunged at the alpha with clear intent to kill. Maki was a formidable omega for sure, but she knew her limits, and the moment she felt the fight was tipping in Naoko’s favor, she grabbed onto her opponent and threw the both of them into the pool.

She meant to drown the wretched alpha, but Naoko was bigger than her, and Maki found _herself_ being held under the water with no hope of escape. It was by sheer luck that Kanan and You, the most adept swimmers in the pack, were already present on the scene, and neither wasted a second in coming to her rescue once the shock wore off and her predicament became clear. She knew full well that without them, she would be dead already.

“Are you okay?” Kanan approached her slowly, careful to step around the bits of broken dishware. She offered her hand to the red omega, who accepted it and stood up on shaky legs.

“Fine now,” Maki replied hoarsely. “Thank you.”

The two of them made their way back towards the house, and it was only when Maki was dry and changed into one of Mari’s robes that Kanan decided to ask the question.

“Why did you attack Fujishiro-san, Maki? Do you know her?”

“Yeah. We all do,” Maki said. “She was Nozomi’s alpha for a while in high school. Though it wasn’t exactly a harmonious union… From what I understand, Naoko’s the type to believe the alpha’s wishes come first every time, even at the expense of the omega. Eli fought her for Nozomi and won, twice. I was there the second time, but by then she was already mated with Nozomi, Naoko was just trying to get her back.”

“Oh… Nozomi never mentioned anything like that to us before,” Kanan said. “I’ve heard of alphas like that, and seen them on TV and stuff, but I’ve never actually had any first-hand experiences with them.”

“Well, I guess it’s a pretty rare attitude to have nowadays,” Maki said. “There are definitely people like that still out there, though. They can get away with it just by being a shifter. You think the beta police are gonna try and mess with alphas like that? Of course not.”

Kanan opened her mouth to reply, but a furious banging on the front door interrupted her. Both she and Maki bristled, but Kanan raised a hand for the omega to stay seated while she went to have a look. She peered through the peephole, and was met with the sight of a fully-shifted and fully-pissed Nico.

“Open! Open! Open!” the little alpha screamed from the other side of the door.

Fearing Nico might punch through the door, Kanan obeyed as quick as she could. Nico nearly fell into the house when the door suddenly came open, but she regained her balance and shoved past Kanan, eyes frantically searching the room.

“Where’s Maki?” she demanded, and a moment later realized her mate was right there on the couch. “Maki!” She ran to her and flung her arms around her first thing, and only then did she notice Maki was in a robe with damp hair. “What the hell happened when we were on the phone? It sounded like a fight! And why are you in a robe?”

Maki held her tight and gave her a reassuring nuzzle. “It’s okay, Nico, I’m fine,” she said. “There’s a big problem, though. Naoko’s in the neighborhood.”

“What?” If it was possible for Nico’s fur to stand up any more, it did. “That Naoko? The one who…”

“Yes, that one.”

So Kanan explained the previous day’s events, when Naoko showed up on her doorstep looking to make a truce, and how uncomfortable Kanan felt with the behavior of Naoko’s cub. She mentioned also that she invited Naoko and Yumi over for lunch to try and find out more about her, thus leading up to Maki’s confrontation.

“I’ll just put it this way. If you know Naoko, and you know Nozomi, and you know the kid is an omega, it’s not that hard to figure out what’s going on,” Nico said. “Fuck! And you, Maki, what were you _thinking_?! She could have killed you and you know it!”

“I didn’t think,” Maki admitted. “I saw her sitting so close to Reine, and then…”

Nico put her head in her hands and growled softly. “Ugh! Okay, okay, we need to call Eli right away. And- Actually, I need to get the fuck home! I left Nozomi there alone with the cubs!” She sprang to her feet. “Kanan, call Eli and explain everything to her. Maki, you stay here with Aqours. I’ll come back to get you later.”

Maki stood up, too. “I can’t let you go alone, Nico,” she said. “I’m coming with you! I’m stronger than Nozomi, I can team up with you if something happens.”

Nico looked at her like she was stupid. “Are you forgetting something, Maki-chan? You’re pregnant! Stay here with Aqours and keep Reine and Kiyoko safe. I’ll be fine till Eli gets here.”

“…Fine.” Maki sat, and she clearly wasn’t happy about it, but she couldn’t argue with Nico on the matter of their unborn child.

“I’ll be back soon!”

Nico tore out the front door and down the street back home, just as fast as she’d come. Naoko was on the loose, and if Nico caught her she'd be dead meat!

 

School was lonely without Ai. Setsuna and Kasumi were there, of course, but the dynamic was different without the bubbly fourth member of their junior pack. Karin didn’t realize how much she loved sharing scents with Ai until today, when she was forced to go without that sweet, lingering scent. Kasumi’s teasing on this day was relentless, too, as without Ai there she was free to grill Karin to a crisp with loaded questions about their relationship.

“So, come on, Karin, tell us,” Kasumi was saying, “what _really_ happened yesterday with Ai? Not naming any names, but another shifter told me the bathroom smelled like _sex_ after you two were in there.”

“S… Sex?”

Karin’s cheeks colored dramatically. She was too embarrassed to admit to her friends that she didn’t _really_ know what sex or mating was, only that it was something very adult and very private. She avoided her friends’ eyes, hoping that they wouldn’t be able to see her ignorance in them.

“No, it was nothing like that, we just hugged in the bathroom,” Karin said. “It wasn’t, um, s-sex.”

Kasumi pressed on, intent on unveiling the juicy truth she wanted to hear. “A regular hug wouldn’t produce a musk like that, Karin-chan.”

“That’s true,” said Setsuna. “Riri told me there’s a really strong musk when you mate so everyone knows an omega is yours. And, um, Karin… Ai smelled a lot like you when I saw her at home.”

“I’m telling you we didn’t do anything like that!” Karin snapped, though doubt began to niggle at her as she recalled their heated embrace and later her peculiar solo experience in bed.

“Suuure you didn’t!” Kasumi teased. “Guess we’ll know for sure when Ai-chan announces she’s having a little Karin Jr.!”

Setsuna was alarmed at that one. “Should we really even joke about that? We’re in middle school!”

Karin felt a surge of both embarrassment and anger, and her furs began to emerge. “What would you know about that?!” In a flash of rage, she sprang from the bench and lashed out at annoying Kasumi.

“Karin!” Setsuna was there instantly, gripping Karin’s wrists in her claws and forcing her back down to the bench. She growled in a manner that Karin had never, ever heard before. “What’s wrong with you?! Why would you try to hurt her?”

“I…” Karin let herself go limp in Setsuna’s grip, and looked shamefully away. She didn’t know why she attacked Kasumi, she simply felt something and then her body reacted. “I don’t know… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to!”

Kasumi quickly replaced her look of shock and fear with one of sour annoyance. “Hmph! You _should_ be sorry, Karin! I was just kidding with you, can’t you take a joke? Ai deserves someone better than a stupid alpha like you!”

Karin and Setsuna watched Kasumi storm off, and once she was gone, Setsuna finally released Karin. The two alphas sat together in silence for a while, Karin in her shame and Setsuna in awkwardness. Finally, just before it was time for class to begin again, Karin leaned over and gave Setsuna an apologetic nuzzle.

“Sorry, Setsuna,” she said. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me all of a sudden, but it seems like I can’t do anything right anymore.”

Setsuna returned her friend’s affectionate gesture. “It’s okay, Karin,” she said. “Riri said it’s normal for alphas to start acting weird at our age. Though I guess you’re just growing up faster than me, because I haven’t been feeling unusual at all.”

Karin sighed. “Wanna trade?”

Kasumi ignored her for the rest of the day, despite repeated attempts at apologizing, but Karin wasn’t too put off, as that was just how Kasumi operated. They’d be back to normal soon. However, Karin did not get to walk home with her friends as usual, because it was the first day of her punishment for fighting at school. She met with Ryo once most of the classrooms were cleared and the other students had either gone home or to after-school activities. Their job for the following week was to clean their respective classrooms, thus giving their classmates a break, as well as their hallway and the floor’s toilets.

“Sorry again about attacking you,” Karin said as they swept up the day’s debris together. “I felt like I couldn’t control myself!”

“Don’t worry about it,” Ryo said. “I don’t think anything that happened yesterday was on purpose. You don’t have to worry about me stealing your girlfriend, either.”

Karin reddened a bit at that comment. “She’s not my, uh, girlfriend, you know…”

“She’s not?” Ryo cocked her head. “That’s the first I’ve heard of it. Everyone said you were dating.”

“No, we’re close, but it’s not like that between us,” Karin said, and then remembered Ai’s texts from yesterday. “At least, I don’t think it is…”

Ryo chuckled. “Oh. Well, in that case, maybe I’ll steal her after all,” she said. “I mean, she’s pretty cute, right?”

“Yeah…”

The alpha cubs continued to make small talk as they cleaned, and both were pleased with the outcome of their teamwork, as it took them a little less than two hours of working quickly to get it all done. The last place they touched on was the boys’ restroom, and this was partly out of reluctance. It smelled mostly of betas, but Karin caught faint traces of alpha and even omega boys there, too.

“What the heck is this even supposed to be, though?” Karin asked as she inspected a urinal. “A weird sink?” She hit the lever and put her hands in the resulting flow of water.

“Definitely don’t wash your hands in it,” Ryo said. “It’s a toilet, but made just for peeing.”

“Uck!”

Karin quickly made for the real sinks and scrubbed her hands desperately while Ryo bent over another sink with laughter.

“Sorry! I should’ve warned you!” Ryo said in between bursts of giggles. “Come on, let’s hurry up and clean this place, and then we’ll leave our mark here!”

The pair of them gave the place the same treatment they’d given the girls’ toilets, and soon the fixtures were all fresh and shiny, and the dispensers full and ready for tomorrow. Karin learned also what Ryo meant by “leaving their mark” when the other alpha flipped up her skirt to piss in one of the not-sinks.

“This way all the shifter boys will know we were here, and maybe they’ll keep it a bit cleaner!” Ryo said.

Karin supposed it _was_ a little exciting to leave her scent in a place where she normally was not allowed, so she followed suit, and when they were done, she and Ryo headed out to the gates together. To Karin’s surprise, Eli was there waiting for her. She waved goodbye to her new friend and went to nuzzle into her mother’s side.

“Mom!” she said. “You don’t usually pick me up!”

“Well, I didn’t want you walking home alone this late,” Eli said. “Besides, we still have something we need to talk about, don't we?”

“I guess, yeah…” In truth, Karin was hoping that perhaps Eli would forget, or something else would come up to prevent them from discussing the very embarrassing matter of losing control over Ai. Alas, Mom never, ever forgot anything.

The sun was low, but it would be a while yet before it finally disappeared. Karin glanced up at her mother as they walked, and found herself both envious and in awe of just how confidently she carried herself, and she looked so happy about it, too. Eli was on another level – a supreme specimen, truly an alpha extraordinaire – meanwhile, Karin’s very body seemed to be rebelling against her with all its stupid urges and growths and excretions.

Eli must have sensed her woe, because she drew Karin closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Mama already told me what happened yesterday, so you don’t have to repeat it to me if you don’t want to,” she said. “But what you went through isn’t anything out of the ordinary, you know. It’s… inconvenient, but it’s just a fact that young alphas fight, a lot.”

“I thought I was going crazy,” Karin said. “When I saw Ryo, I was just, like… I don’t know. I was so _mad_. I don’t like to say this, but in that moment, I felt like I wanted to kill her. Really kill her!” Karin shuddered as she recalled the feeling. “I don’t want it to happen again!”

Eli nodded her understanding. “That’s what happens when omegas go into heat,” she said. “But you can learn to control those urges. It’s just like when you were little and you were learning to control your shifts. Remember? It’s tougher for sure, but you can use the same techniques for this. You should know that the consequences are a lot more serious if you fail, though.”

Karin wasn’t sure how to reply, and it was beginning to feel like she was in trouble somehow, so she let her mother continue uninterrupted.

“Not only could you end up getting hurt in a fight, you could also hurt an omega very badly if you don’t control yourself,” Eli said. “Always stop, breathe, and think, just like I taught you. Okay? Don’t _ever_ force yourself on an omega if she wants to get away. It might be hard to stop, and may be the worst feeling ever, but you have to just breathe and let her go. Always.”

“Yes, Mommy.”

There was silence between them for a time while Karin digested Eli’s words. She had a feeling her mother was referring to that incredibly fierce desire she’d felt while holding Ai. Karin wanted to ask about that, and she wanted especially to ask about the fluid she’d released yesterday while thinking about it, but she couldn’t quite work up the guts to say it out loud. She also remembered Kasumi’s taunts at lunchtime, and decided to just blurt out her question before she overthought it.

“Mom,” she said quickly, “is it true cubs come from mating? And mating is… is sex…?”

Hearing the word “sex” come out of her little one’s mouth was jarring, but Eli was careful not to show it. “It’s true,” she replied. “I’m sure you’ve probably heard some talk about it at school, right? That much is true, but if you have any other questions about it, I’d rather you just ask me.”

“Oh, okay, well I don’t really know how it works or anything,” Karin said. “I was just wondering if that was true, that's all.” She was content to leave it at that, as this conversation was already running a bit too long as it was, but Mommy was unfortunately determined to educate her cub.

Eli had practiced this speech many, many times in her head ever since Nozomi first noted the beginnings of Karin’s ascent from childhood to adolescence, but when it came down to it, she still felt unprepared. Sex and heat and rutting were all perfectly natural things, and nothing to be ashamed of, but to share such raw facts with her little baby? It was unthinkable. But she did it.

Karin was mortified. She could not even begin to imagine performing such a disgustingly intimate act as putting her penis _inside_ an omega’s privates, regardless of if she loved the omega very much. Not only that, but her mystery excretion from the previous day was actually some kind of baby-making fluid?! And, perhaps worst of all, she now knew exactly how Mama and Mommy had brought her into the world, and Kiyoko too, and that mental image alone was almost too much to bear. She couldn’t believe her friends already knew about this and never told her!

She didn’t dare ask how the baby fluid might be made without an omega present, and so she let the conversation end when Eli was finished and she stated she had no other questions. When they arrived home, Karin ate her dinner and then marched herself up to her room to process her mother’s information dump.

“Did you finally have the talk with Karin?” Nozomi asked once the cub was gone. “She looks a lot like you had the talk with her…”

“Yeah… Yeah, I did,” Eli said, and sighed. “It was so hard to keep a straight face telling her all that! You should have seen the face she made, Nozomi! I feel like I destroyed her innocence!”

“I’m more surprised she didn’t know anything at all about it,” Nozomi said, and couldn’t help but laugh at Eli’s distraught expression. 

“Me too,” Honoka added from her place at the kitchen sink. “I tried to bring it up with Kasumi some time ago, and I think she knows more than me!”

“I think that’s just how Karin is,” Eli said. “We’re lucky to have such a sweet baby, really.”

Eli and Nozomi helped Honoka to clear the table and wash up, and then retired to their room for the evening. Eli wasted no time in changing into some sleep clothes and tucking herself into the bed, but Nozomi seemed restless and flitted from place to place, cleaning this and straightening that. It was an unusual role reversal, and Eli watched her for a bit before deciding her wife needed to be in bed with her.

“Come on, Nozomi, that’s enough,” Eli said. “Come lay with me.”

“You know, Elicchi, I just can’t figure it out,” Nozomi said without moving from her spot by the bookshelf. “It’s been, what, twenty… no, more than twenty years. Wasn’t that enough time to forget about me and leave me alone? Why now? And why does it still have to be me?”

Eli knew she meant Naoko, and she finally got up to comfort her mate. “She thinks you’re still who you used to be,” she said, and placed a soft kiss to Nozomi’s lips. “She hasn’t watched you grow like I have.”

“Oh, come on, Elicchi…” Nozomi was obviously flattered at Eli’s implication that she was no longer a weak little omega. It was true, she wasn’t, but Nozomi was far too modest to believe it.

“I mean it!” Eli said. She let her furs come in and kissed Nozomi again, more fervently this time. “Besides, I’m here with you. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”

Eli was clearly eager to mark her, and so Nozomi allowed her alpha to guide her back to the bed and press her down to the mattress. Eli left Nozomi with one more kiss, and then tilted her head back and ever-so-gently took hold of her omega’s throat in her fangs. It was a profoundly intimate gesture, as Eli could very quickly and easily end her mate’s life in such a position, and it was years before Nozomi allowed Eli to perform it on her at all. Now, of course, she didn’t even flinch as Eli’s deadly fangs grazed her exposed throat, and instead shuddered with pleasure.

All her trust and all her love were in Eli.

 

Karin was having enough trouble sleeping even before Ai decided to text her. There was just too much going on, from her puberty issues to the bad alpha lurking in the neighborhood. Her heart beat a little faster when she saw Ai’s name on the screen, and she quickly opened the message.

**AI-SAMA:** karinchan what u doin

**Karin:** nothing, i can’t sleep. i missed you at school today

**AI-SAMA:** i missed u too i feel like im going crazy in here

**AI-SAMA:** do u wana come over????

**Karin:** ??? i can’t come over, it’s the middle of the night! and aren’t you still in heat?

**AI-SAMA:** so? itll be like a mini sleepover

**AI-SAMA:** and yea i hate it but id feel better if u came

Karin couldn’t believe what she was reading. Had Ai gone stupid in her heat? There were a whole host of reasons why she should not come over, the most dark and dangerous of which was called Kanan Matsuura. And yet, the idea of sneaking over there to play with her friend in the dead of the night sent a little jolt of excitement through Karin’s body. She wrestled with the potential consequences and the potential for fun for several minutes before typing up a reply. In the end, kids will be kids.

**Karin:** honk always goes to bed late, so I won’t be able to come until later

**AI-SAMA:** its fine yoshiko is the same way shes always up on the computer

**AI-SAMA:** evryone will prob be asleep by 3

A mix of giddiness and anxiety brewed in Karin’s tummy for the next couple hours. She set an alarm for 3 o’clock in case she fell asleep, and she did, but the alarm jolted her back awake and reminded her of the naughty crime she was about to commit. Her heart began to pound at the thought of it, and at the thought of her parents catching her, but the memory of holding Ai and breathing in her heavy scent prickled at Karin’s skin and at her cock. She had to go.

**AI-SAMA:** come thru the gate ill meet u in the poolhouse

**Karin:** coming

Leaving the house was the hardest part. Karin strained all her senses when she stepped out into the hall, desperately checking that no other pack members were still up. She didn’t hear any noise, not even from the TV, which Honoka had a bad habit of leaving on all night, and she didn’t smell anything out of place. That was good. Still, she felt like a little criminal as she crept down the stairs and to the back door, step by agonizing step. She opted to use the back door rather than the front, as it was farther from her parent’s bedroom, or anyone’s bedroom for that matter.

After checking one final time that her phone was well-charged and her house keys were tucked securely in her pocket, Karin stepped out into the night. It was only once she was a little ways down the street that she truly realized what she was doing, which was sneaking out of the house at night, alone, while a known dangerous alpha was still at large in the area. There were many things for her to be afraid of in this situation, including but not limited to her parents finding out, Ai’s parents finding out, and death by crazed alpha, but Karin somehow managed to rationalize it to herself. Ai needed her to make her feel better, and she wasn’t about to abandon her best friend in need, was she?

Once she’d convinced herself that she was, in fact, doing the right thing, Karin found a certain beauty in the silence of the night. Everything was still, and dark, save for the street lamps, and she was the only one around to appreciate it. A thought struck her at the corner of her street and Ai’s, and she decided she’d leave her scent in the neighborhood like a grown alpha marking her territory.

Her first target was the street sign on the corner. She could smell both Eli and Kanan’s scents faintly there, but it was obvious that there hadn’t been a patrol in a while. She did her part to keep Muse’s markers up to date and released a jet of piss onto the signpost. She then went from mailbox to mailbox, streetlamp to streetlamp, leaving her scent at each spot, until finally pissing the rest out next to Aqours’ driveway.

She found the gate in the fence unlatched for her, and she let it swing open slowly, cringing at the squeak it made. It never sounded that loud during the day! After pausing for a moment to ensure she hadn’t woken anyone up (not that a gate squeaking could actually wake anyone inside the house up), she made her way to the pool house. She could smell Ai already, and her furs came in of their own accord.

“Ai?”

The door to the pool house was unlocked, as well, and Karin was met with a blast of Ai’s musky heat. Karin’s heart thudded in her chest at the smell of it, and she felt a (now familiar) tingle and pressure in her pajama shorts.

“Karin-chan!”

Ai burst into the room the moment she heard Karin’s voice. She bounded over and tackled her alpha friend in a great bear hug. The pair of them collapsed to the floor and rolled about, laughing and nuzzling and hugging each other for all they were worth. Karin thought her heart would burst with joy at their reunion (despite only being separated for a day).

“ _Ai_ missed you so much!” Ai cried. She buried her face in Karin’s neck and breathed in her heavy musk. “I hate heat! I’d rather be an alpha!”

“Being an alpha’s not so fun, either,” Karin said. “I feel like I’m going crazy!”

The cubs continued to hold and nuzzle each other, each marking the other completely with their scent, and Karin felt like she might explode with the energy that was building inside of her. What finally tipped her over the edge was Ai pressing a soft, tentative kiss to her cheek. She grabbed hold of her omega friend and pressed her down to the floor, and Ai offered no resistance except for a tiny yelp of surprise.

They rocked their bodies together desperately there on the tile of the pool house, all else forgotten but the smell and touch of each other. That, of course, included the embarrassingly informative sex talk Karin had received from Eli earlier in the day. Ai began to pant and shudder after a few minutes, and something about it coupled with the heady scent of her heat made Karin want to scream. She immediately freed herself from her shorts to rub her bare alphahood against her friend.

“Karin!”

Ai had seen Karin naked countless times, as they’d grown up together, but this was nothing like any of those innocent times. This was something else entirely, something very explicitly adult, and intimate in a way Ai had never previously experienced. And yet, despite the size of her eyes and the color in her cheeks, Ai found herself craving what she knew to come next.

 

The first feeling to hit Karin after the deed was done was not shock, or shame, or fear, as perhaps it should have been given the circumstances. It was relief, plain and simple, and it was clear from Ai’s expression that she felt it, too. They rested there for a while, catching their breath and basking in the afterglow of their first mating. No longer were they frantic and frenzied with lust; their touches were soft and pure and loving once again. Even Karin’s earlier disgust at the notion of plugging her alpha part into an omega’s parts seemed to have disappeared.

“I should go home now…” Karin said as she at last sat up.

“Dooon’t,” Ai pleaded. “Just stay the night.” She made to pull Karin back down with her, but Karin resisted.

“I can’t stay the night, my parents will…”

Oh, no. Her parents. And Ai’s parents, and… Panic seized Karin as she realized what she’d done, what _they_ had done, and Eli’s earlier lecture came flooding back to her. Karin didn’t want to be a parent! She was too young, practically a little girl! But she’d done it, she’d mated with Ai, and now they’d be forced to raise a cub.

Ai must have noticed Karin go pale, because she sat up and nudged her alpha friend. “What’s wrong, Karin?”

Karin turned to Ai, _the mother of her child_ , and swallowed hard. “I can’t stay! I’m sorry!” She hugged Ai briefly, found her shorts, and then fled from the property, leaving her omega dumbfounded and honestly a little heartbroken.

The sky was a little lighter than when Karin first set out on this wretched journey. She cursed her earlier self for not having the restraint to just stay home and wait out Ai’s heat, but it was too late for curses now. Karin was going to be a father, and no amount of wishful thinking could ever turn back the clock.

Karin stopped to catch her breath at the corner, where she’d marked the signpost earlier. In her rush to get home, she failed to notice that she was not alone, and in fact was mere feet away from the two stranger alphas when they finally caught her eye and her nose. She roared with all her might, hoping to scare them off, but they were bigger, tougher, and they only got closer, and Karin braced herself for the inevitable attack. Was she going to die now, too, and leave Ai and their unborn cub alone?

Yesterday was knocked down a peg, and today was now officially the worst day of Karin’s life.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please enjoy this quick chapter about the cubs and their problems before i put the main focus back on the grownups

Ai’s heart throbbed with sadness at Karin’s hasty exit. Everything up until then had been perfect – tender nuzzles and sweet kisses that evolved into a desperately passionate first mating. Even the moments afterward were beautiful, with sleepy Karin still resting on top of her with her face buried in her neck. Ai wouldn’t have minded lying there in post-breeding bliss forever with her little alpha, but then Karin had to go and shatter it all by running off so suddenly.

Ai wondered if perhaps she’d done something wrong, or if she smelled, or if maybe Karin just didn’t enjoy it as much as she had. Those thoughts stung, but Ai did take some solace in the fact that Karin had filled her up well. She rubbed a hand over her belly and closed her eyes, imagining what sort of cub might soon grow there. Normally she’d be frightened by such thoughts, but something in the very core of her being was telling her that this was right, that she was meant to carry Karin’s child.

The sky was lightening, and that meant someone was more likely to wake up now, so Ai cleaned up, dressed herself, and headed back towards the house. She shut the door back behind her as quietly as she could, but was nearly startled out of her body when she saw her mother standing in the kitchen.

“Ah! Mama!” Ai squeaked. “You scared me!”

“You scared me, too!” Mari said. “I thought someone had snatched you away until I saw you come out of the pool house! Just what were you thinking?”

Ai bowed her head and fiddled with the hem of her shorts a bit before replying. “I’m… Mama, I… Karin is my mate now.” She looked up at her mother then with an excited glint in her eye. “We’re gonna have a cub, Mama!”

Mari knew it was just the heat talking, and that Ai would be mortified by this once she finally cooled off, but it was still difficult to hear her little girl, who was just barely a teenager now, speak so freely and happily about having a child. She took the cub in her arms and gave her a kiss.

“That’s wonderful, my love,” she said, hoping to sound genuine. “Why don’t you go and take a shower now? I’ll have something for you when you get out.”

“Okay!”

Ai went upstairs, and Mari knew she obeyed when she heard the water come on. Kanan came down shortly afterward, looking worried.

“What’s wrong, Mari?” she asked. “You couldn’t sleep?”

“Mm, this is going to be harder than I thought,” Mari said. “Karin came over here and mated with Ai in the pool house.”

Kanan blinked. “Huh? Karin…?” She gasped aloud when the full weight of Mari’s words finally hit her. “She what?! No!”

“ _Karma_!” Mari said. “Now we get to feel like our parents did! Now, hush, Kanan, or you’re going to wake the whole house up. Go back to bed, I’ll handle this.”

Kanan’s agitation was growing by the second. “How am I supposed to sleep now? My _baby_ has-”

“Shhh!” Mari shushed her again. “This is an omega problem. You’re not an omega, so go back to bed while I take care of this. I’ll be up soon.”

Kanan went, grumbling all the way, but she went. Mari knew there wouldn’t be much hope of sleep after this, for sure, so she started a pot of coffee for herself and probably Dia, who tended to get up early. While the coffee brewed, Mari rifled through the medicine cabinet, looking for a particular bottle and not finding it quick enough for her taste.

“ _I swear_ , if Yoshiko used them all… Oh.”

There were two left, thank goodness. Mari laid one of the pills out on the counter with a glass of water, and just in time, too, because Ai returned directly afterward with wet hair and a much fresher scent.

“Medicine? Are you sick, Mama?” the cub asked.

Mari scooted the pill and the water closer to her daughter. “This is for you, _bella_ ,” she said. “It’ll help you sleep after mating. It’s important to sleep now so your body can recover.”

“Huh, really? Well, that makes sense, I guess. Thanks!” Ai popped the pill in her mouth and washed it down with the provided water. She then nuzzled into her mother with a contented rumble. “I love you, Mama. I’m happy you weren’t mad… But I’m worried. Karin ran away after we mated, and now I’m scared she didn’t like it, or she doesn’t like me anymore.”

“I’m sure that’s not the case,” Mari reassured her. “Now, I’m not angry at you, but I do need you to be more careful from now on. Don’t worry, Mama will teach you everything, okay? For now, you need to get back to bed! It’s too early for little cubs to be up and about!”

Ai agreed, suddenly feeling tired from her “sleep medicine.” She went back to her bed with thoughts of her future cub still swirling about in her hormone-addled head. Mari, meanwhile, poured herself a cup of coffee and returned to her own bed, where Kanan was lying with her eyes closed, but Mari knew she wasn’t sleeping.

“How did it go?” Kanan asked when she felt her mate climb into the bed.

“I gave her a contraceptive,” Mari replied. “I didn’t have the heart to tell her what it was, though. She looked so happy about possibly having a child… And actually, Kanan-chan, it scared me. So I just told her it was medicine to help her sleep.”

Kanan sat up and leaned wordlessly into her mate. They stayed like that for a bit, with Mari sipping her coffee and enjoying her mate’s closeness, until at last Kanan planted a kiss on Mari’s cheek.

“I love you so much, Mari, honestly.”

Sweet, vulnerable Kanan was such a treat compared to tough guardian alpha Kanan, and that side of her always reminded Mari of their younger days. She returned her love’s affections with fervor, and when they at last pulled away from each other, she exclaimed, “Hah! Morning breath!”

“What the-”

Kanan reddened and covered her mouth, and Mari just laughed.

“Now, now, Kanan-chan, it’s time to settle down. You have work at noon, right? _Sleepy, sleepy_!”

She tucked the reluctant Kanan back into bed and left a great big kiss on her forehead. With that, she took herself downstairs to refill her mug and reflect on the Ai situation. She hated to lie to her little one, but, for the time being, it was for her own good. She’d come clean once Ai’s heat was over and she could speak frankly with her about birth control methods. She just hoped that could happen before Papa Kanan saw Karin again.

 

Karin’s fur was in thick and standing on end as she roared her heart out at the two stranger alphas. There was a certain pride in roaring these days, as her scratchy, screechy cub voice was fading and being replaced with the thunderous bellows of a full-grown alpha. The same fury she’d felt just before she attacked Ryo at school was once again bubbling up within her, and she snarled and showed her fangs and flexed her claws in the ugliest display of strength she could muster.

The shorter of the two alphas returned the pre-battle gestures, but the taller one was seemingly unaffected by Karin’s threats, and she held her partner back.

“Stop, Leah, it’s just a cub,” she said. “That’s not who we’re looking for.” She bowed her head and held her hands up for Karin in a classic show of submission, and urged her sister to do the same. “Excuse us. We’re not trying to intrude.”

That was the first time anyone had ever submitted to Karin, and she had to admit that it felt good. However, she still did not know these alphas, and she was, on a mostly instinctual level, determined to defend both her own mother and the mother of her unborn cub.

“Who are you?” she demanded in what she hoped was a threatening voice.

Before either of the alphas could reply, a passing car came to an abrupt stop beside them. The window rolled down to reveal a bewildered Maki.

“Karin!” she cried. “The hell’s going on here?!”

“Maki! Watch out!”

Maki noticed one of the other alphas was only half-shifted, and that the other was not shifted at all, and despite their apparent deference to Karin, Maki decided it was too risky for the cub to stay outside. She got out of the car and approached the trio of alphas.

“Get in the car, Karin-chan.”

Karin looked alarmed. “But Maki! You’re an omega, what if they-”

“I said get in the car!”

It was now Karin who submitted to Maki (and how embarrassing to submit to an omega in front of other alphas!). She got into the car and shut the door, but she kept her hand on the handle in case she needed to rush out and fight. Maki seemed to be handling things well, though, as neither alpha budged in their submissive behavior even in the face of a lone omega. Karin watched them converse for a few minutes, and then, after they’d bowed their friendly goodbyes, Maki returned to the car.

“Karin-chan, what in the world-”

Maki immediately rolled down the car windows. Karin didn’t realize just how badly she stank of heat sex, and thus did not realize how obvious her activities were to her packmate.

“You mated with Ai.”

It wasn’t a question, it was an observation, and Karin reddened. She was hoping to make it home and get to bed before anyone found out, but of course she’d forgotten to consider Maki’s early Wednesday shifts. The red omega stared pointedly at her, clearly awaiting a reply, and Karin felt a lump form in her throat.

“Maki… What should I do? I-I’m just a kid, I can’t care for a cub, I’ll have to quit school and I’ll- I’ll-”

Maki sighed and began to drive while Karin blubbered pitifully to her. She couldn’t even understand half of what the kid was saying, but she caught enough to know that Karin thought Ai was pregnant. Better that she heard this than Eli or Nozomi, Maki supposed. It was several minutes of driving later that Karin finally realized that they’d been in the car for a while, and weren’t going home.

“W-where are we going…?” she asked.

“The store,” Maki replied.

They pulled up at a 24-hour convenience store, and Maki closed the windows and ordered Karin to stay in the car. Karin leaned against the window while she pondered her fate. She’d have to leave school and secure a job so as not to trouble her parents with the financial aspects of raising a child, but she wasn’t sure what kinds of jobs were even available for a 13 year-old middle school dropout.

Even if she did manage to find gainful employment, there was the matter of actually bringing up the cub. Karin barely knew anything about babies, except for the fact that they were small and furry and needed lots of attention. She supposed her parents could teach her about the finer aspects of parenthood, but even then, it’d be up to her to set a good example for the little one. Karin was hardly suited for such an important job, and tears spilled out of her eyes again as she confronted her inadequacy. In that moment she wished more than ever that she could be like Eli.

Maki returned with a bag, which she plopped into the teary Karin’s lap. Karin peered inside, and was embarrassed to find a multipack of pregnancy tests, as well as a box labeled “ALPHAREX,” whatever that was. She quickly wiped her eyes.

“Maki, what, um…”

“If she really does end up pregnant, you’ll have to tell her parents, you know,” Maki said. “And yours.”

“I know.” Karin bowed her head.

“Honestly, Karin-chan… I’m surprised at you,” Maki said. “Sneaking out in the middle of the night? You need to start thinking more, and not with your dick. I’m serious. You could’ve been killed first of all if those alphas were bad people, and not only that, but you can’t just go mating with omegas all willy-nilly if you don’t even know what you’re doing!”

Karin began to sniffle and sob again, and Maki softened.

“Look… You have to start being more careful. Having a kid is a big deal, Karin, and not something you need to be dealing with at your age. Take it from the pregnant lady.” She sighed and reached over to put a comforting hand on Karin’s shoulder. “That being said, one mating isn’t always enough to result in a pregnancy, but better safe than sorry. I know that… that cubs will be cubs, so just use the stuff I got you, alright?”

They got out on the road once more, this time headed for home, and Karin dried her eyes again. She pulled the Alpharex box from the bag and opened it up. Inside were little packets, though what they were packets of remained a mystery.

“Maki, what are these, um, Alpharex… things?”

“Read the box,” was Maki’s curt reply. “Also, your mom got you a body book, right? Read that, too.”

The rest of their short trip passed in silence. Maki’s assertion that a single mating did not always result in a child comforted Karin somewhat, but she couldn’t help but wonder if she was one of the small percentage of people that it happened to, anyway. She opted to wait until she got home to figure out what the Alpharex packets were, since it was almost 100% certain to be something embarrassing if Maki refused to tell her outright.

“Make sure you take a shower right away,” Maki told her once they were home. “I gotta go to work now or I’ll be late. Hide that stuff in your room, okay? And if you need more, I’ll get you more. I won’t tell your parents, so… Yeah. See you later. Love you.”

“Love you, Maki. Th-thanks. For helping me.”

Karin hurried inside with her secret treasures and stuffed them in her junk drawer, then quickly found her school uniform and rushed to the bathroom before anyone else woke up and smelled the evidence of her deeds. It was nearly 5 o’clock now, so there were still a couple hours left before she had to leave for school, but that wasn’t really enough time to sleep. Not that sleep would come easily with the sorts of thoughts buzzing through Karin’s brain now. It was going to be a long day.

 

Karin’s constant yawning and spacing out throughout the day, even during lunchtime, aroused the suspicions of her friends. Kasumi in particular was bent on uncovering the truth behind Karin’s unusual behavior, and, like yesterday, Ai wasn’t there to deflect her probing questions.

“Come on, Karin, I saw you go to bed super early last night!” Kasumi said. “Why are you still acting so tired? Oh, don’t tell me! You couldn’t sleep because you were thinking about your beloved Ai-chan!”

“It’s nothing like that,” Karin replied, though she couldn’t stop the heat that seeped into her cheeks.

“Oh, she’s blushing!” Kasumi squeaked. “I’m right, huh?! I bet you were thinking all sorts of scandalous things about her! Like… Holding hands! Or… kissing?! Or, wait, let me guess…”

Karin shrank even further into herself, and the color of her cheeks only deepened. “Actually, you guys…” She’d been wrestling with whether or not to tell Kasumi and Setsuna ever since she got back home from doing the deed, and even now, as she prepared to unleash the raw truth, she wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do. But if she didn’t tell someone else that _wasn’t_ an adult who would berate her for being irresponsible, she might explode from the stress of keeping it all in.

“The truth is that I… Last night I… We…”

The memory of Ai’s sweet scent, the little noises she made, and, heavens above, the way she _felt_ … It was all so wondrous, so beautiful to Karin’s previously virgin mind, and yet the possibility of becoming a parent tainted it so severely that she could hardly think of it without her stomach twisting into knots. How cruel was it that something so fun and exciting could lead to such dire consequences? Karin’s voice dropped to barely a whisper as she admitted her secret.

“Last night, I… I-I mated with Ai.”

“What?!”

Kasumi and Setsuna were stunned into silence. Normally, Kasumi would have laughed and asked what the problem _really_ was, but the tears that began to well in Karin’s eyes were very much real. Setsuna grabbed hold of Karin’s hand.

“I-is that true, Karin-chan?!” she cried. “But when? I didn’t smell you or hear you at all…?”

“I came late at night,” Karin said. “We met in the poolhouse and then…”

“I wouldn’t have expected that from you, Karin,” Kasumi said. “That’s like, delinquent-level behavior right there. No one caught you, did they?!”

Karin shrugged. “Well, Maki found me when I was on my way home, because I ran into some weird alphas,” she said. “She said she wouldn’t tell anyone. I’m scared, though… What if Ai is pregnant? What if I’m forced to be a mom?!”

Setsuna frowned. “Oh no… Riri did tell me that compared to betas, there’s an extra high chance of an omega in heat getting pregnant.”

That comment released Karin’s umpteenth deluge of tears for the day. Her friends couldn’t find many comforting words for her, and even when they tried, there were few that could lift the enormous weight on the little alpha’s shoulders.

Once school was over, Karin stayed after to complete her cleaning duties with Ryo, and Setsuna and Kasumi were left to walk home alone once again. Setsuna heaved a huge sigh once Karin was back inside the school and out of earshot.

“I can’t believe they actually did it,” she said.

“You realize this means you owe me money, right?” Kasumi said, and gave her a playful nudge.

“I know, I know!”

It was a little mean, and Setsuna wasn’t _entirely_ on board with it in the first place, but she and Kasumi had placed bets on their friends’ virginities. It wasn’t a matter of who they would mate with either, but when they would mate with each other. Given Karin’s innocent nature, Setsuna had been certain that she wouldn’t get any action until high school at the _earliest_. Seems Kasumi was right, though, and raging hormones and a lifelong closeness to Ai had won out, and now Setsuna owed her a fair chunk of change.

“Do you wanna come over for a while?” Setsuna asked after a period of only Kasumi humming happily to herself.

“Oh? You want me to come over?” Kasumi gave her friend a teasing grin. “Hmm, are you planning on doing me like that, too?”

Setsuna flushed red and an embarrassing tingle of excitement surged through her delicates. “That’s not what I mean!” she insisted. “I just thought, you know, we could do our homework, and I could give you your money.”

Kasumi stared at Setsuna for a moment, and then burst out laughing. “You’re just like Karin!”

The cheeky omega reached for Setsuna’s hand, and to Setsuna’s dismay, her erection (that’s what Riri called it) showed no signs of fading.

“Hey!” came an unknown male voice. “Kasumi-chan!”

Kasumi had barely taken hold of Setsuna’s hand when she suddenly changed course and ran to the boy waiting behind them. Setsuna turned around, and there stood a boy she’d seen around school, but whose name she didn’t know. He was an alpha, and clearly hit his growth spurt before any of the other boys, as he towered over them, and his voice was beginning to deepen. There was instant tension when Setsuna met his eyes, which was only exacerbated by the omega prancing about between them, and Setsuna couldn’t help but rumble in his direction.

“Huh? Setsuna-chan?” Kasumi returned to her friend’s side. “It’s fine, it’s fine! Junichi checked on me yesterday when I was angry! He’s a pretty cool guy!”

“Oh, I see.” Setsuna swallowed hard and tried to remain as neutral as possible, but she didn’t like strange alphas hanging around with them, much less alpha _boys_. And especially not this Junichi, who was tall, and strong, and handsome, and basically the polar opposite of puny little Setsuna. “N-nice to meet you, Junichi.”

Junichi nodded respectfully, but it was plain that he was just as agitated by Setsuna’s presence, regardless of how weak she was compared to him. “Nice to meet you, too. I’ll let you girls get where you’re going, but, uh… Kasumi-chan? What do you say to hanging out after school on Friday?”

“Oh, yeah! Of course we can!” Kasumi replied. “Let’s meet at the gates after school, then!”

It was actually rather impressive how quickly Setsuna’s penis deflated at that. Her little pout didn’t escape Kasumi’s notice, either, and the omega teased her all the way home.

“Come on, Setsuna-chan, you don’t have to be jeeeaaalooouuus!”

“I’m not being jealous,” Setsuna insisted. “I just… don’t think you should hang around with weird alphas! Especially not alpha boys. Riri says…” She checked to make sure no one else was around to hear what she was about to say. “Riri says they’ll _knot_ you.”

Kasumi blinked. “They’ll not what?”

“Not not!” Setsuna said. “Knot!”

“Not… what?” Kasumi asked again.

It seemed Kasumi was genuinely confused this time, not just playing ignorant, and Setsuna just shook her head. If she really didn’t know, Setsuna wasn’t going to be the one to tell her! Not something that lewd! But she couldn’t very well let Kasumi get taken by surprise, so she decided (secretly, of course) to shadow her date with Junichi. You know, just in case.

 

Ai woke Friday morning with a mental clarity she hadn’t experienced all week. The fierce urge to mate seemed to have dissipated while she slept. Unfortunately, such a clear mind brought with it the realization that being a pregnant 13 year-old was not exactly an ideal situation, and worse, she hadn’t heard a peep from Karin since the night of their mating. Dread prickled at her, and her tummy tightened with anxiety, but Ai decided to go to school.

The pack of cubs met at the corner where their streets intersected, as they’d always done, but this time Ai was hesitant to engage in her lifelong ritual of sharing scents with Karin. She stood, tensed and plainly wanting to make her move, but was instead frozen with uncertainty. To her surprise, Karin pulled her into a tight embrace and scented her thoroughly.

“…You could have at least texted me or _something_ , you know,” Ai muttered. It was hard to be too upset enveloped in Karin’s musk like this, but she wanted to make her frustration known.

“I’m sorry!” Karin cried. “I’ve just… had a lot to think about, that’s all. I didn’t mean to, um, ignore you.” When they pulled away, Karin eyed her mate’s belly warily. “…What should we do, Ai? About, you know… The…”

Kasumi cleared her throat. “Uh, guys, I _really_ hate to interrupt, but, in case you forgot, we actually have to get to school now?!”

School went swimmingly for the first time all week, no doubt thanks to Ai’s sunny presence. It had only been four days, but it felt like an eternity to Karin, who essentially had her life turned upside-down and inside-out in the span of those four days. Glancing over at her omega friend in class and receiving that classic grin in return was such a relief from staring at an empty desk, or worse, being told off by Setsuna for not paying enough attention.

Lunchtime was the picture of normalcy, as well. Kasumi was up to her usual tricks, and Setsuna fretted while Karin got more and more aggravated, and Ai just laughed right along. Kasumi was busy prying the finer mechanics of mating out of Karin when Ryo approached them. Karin, despite being friends with Ryo now, felt a ripple of agitation at the sight of the other alpha. She sat up a little taller and leaned close to Ai.

“Nice to see you back at school again,” Ryo said with a polite nod towards Ai. She presented the omega with a cute little flower. “My name is Ryo, by the way. Sorry for the trouble the other day. Maybe you’d let me make it up to you sometime?”

Ai blinked at the flower, glanced at the very unhappy Karin, and then looked back to Ryo. “Oh! Well, thanks a lot! It’s no problem, I get that it’s an alpha thing!” She chose her next words with Karin in mind. It was amazing, really, how quickly sweet, oblivious Karin turned into protective, jealous Karin. The change happened quite literally overnight. She supposed it had much to do with the cub in her belly, but it still felt good to have her feelings returned at last. “I’m sure the girls wouldn’t mind if you came to hang out with us after school one day!”

“That sounds great,” Ryo said. “Let’s try for some time next week, then. Don’t forget!” She gave Karin a sly wink before taking her leave.

Karin snarled after her so-called friend, but Ryo pretended not to notice. 

Biting jealousy was brewing hot in the hearts of both Karin and Setsuna today. That coupled with the looming threat of parenthood made for a very irritable Karin, and she planned to confront Ryo during their cleaning duty.

“Come on, I’m sure she just meant it in a friendly way, Karin,” Ai said as they were leaving school. “You’ll get in even more trouble if you fight again, you know.”

“I know, but…” Karin crossed her arms stubbornly. “Well, it just bothers me.”

“Don’t do anything you’ll regret, Karin-chan.” Setsuna said. “You have a mate now, after all!”

Karin couldn’t help but blush. It was odd to refer to Ai as her mate; to her, they were still just best friends. Very, very complicated best friends who were in the middle of a pregnancy scare. “I won’t,” she assured them.

Once Karin was back inside, Ai looked around for Kasumi, but found that her fellow omega was nowhere to be seen.

“Isn’t Kasumi coming home with us?” she asked.

“Actually, Ai, I was wondering if you’d come help me with something,” Setsuna said. “Kasumi has a… date. Tonight. With an alpha boy.”

Ai cocked her head. “An alpha boy? I didn’t know Kasumi liked boys. Or, well, anyone.”

Setsuna shook her head. “Me either, but apparently she does! But I don’t want her to be alone with him! I know all about alpha boys. Riri told me _everything_.”

“So what’s that got to do with me?” Ai asked.

“We’re going to follow her and make sure he doesn’t try anything funny,” Setsuna said.

Ai gave Setsuna a cheeky grin, and the alpha flushed.

“Setsuna! You’re all jealous now, too, huh?” Ai teased. “Well, I guess I can help you out. I don’t really know what I’ll do if we have to, like, fight him, though. I’m not really good at fighting! But I’ll still go with you for moral support!”

And that was how Setsuna and Ai ended up in the bushes of their local park, watching a disgustingly sweet date between Kasumi and her new friend Junichi. They had to stay quite a distance away so as not to be scented by either of the pair, and Ai was honestly bored out of her skull and anxious to speak privately to Karin about the matter of their cub. Setsuna, meanwhile, watched the couple like a predator, her body poised to strike out at the alpha boy should he try anything.

Setsuna did feel a little guilty for invading her friend’s privacy, but if she had to come to the rescue, it would surely look good on her for having been so vigilant. And if nothing happened? She could go home happy knowing that Kasumi was safe and unviolated, and Kasumi would be none the wiser. That was Setsuna’s line of thought until, of course, the little brown snake slithered over her foot, causing her to shriek and tumble out into the open.

Kasumi wasn’t happy.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i knew a girl in high school with two moms who called one of them "honey" thus kasumi's name for honoka

Umi had a reputation for being rather old-fashioned, and a bit of a prude, and while it was true that she was no fan of public displays of affection, _private_ displays of affection were another matter. There were few things in the world sexier than shy, serious Umi begging for Honoka’s cock, and Honoka was always happy to oblige. Said alpha was currently climbing all over Umi and grasping at her in a fruitless attempt to get closer than they already were. Umi sighed her pleasure into the pillow and thumped her tail repeatedly against Honoka’s chest while her mate pounded her hips against her backside.

“Umi! Umi- I love you! I love you! I love you!”

Of course Honoka was the type to declare her love in the heat of the moment. She grabbed hold of Umi’s hips and pulled the omega back hard against her cock as she emptied herself out with a raw cry of ecstasy. Pulse after pulse filled her mate, and Honoka thought she might die from pure volume and pleasure produced. When she at last ran dry and began to wind down, she slid herself from her mate, delighting in the lewd sight and sound of it, and flopped down onto the bed.

“Honoka…” Umi sighed. “How much did you…?”

“Lots and lots and lots,” Honoka replied. She was keenly aware that her partner was not yet finished, and she was determined to get her there. She reached between Umi’s legs to drag her thumb over her favorite bit, and was rewarded with a tiny squeak.

A door slam, a snarl, and a squealing cry from the kitchen brought a pause to their lovemaking. The crying unmistakably belonged to Shizuku, their little alpha, and it set both of them on edge. Umi sprang upright, but Honoka eased her gently back down to the bed.

“Stay here, Umi-chan,” Honoka said. “I’ll go see what’s wrong.”

She threw on some clean clothes and made her way out to the kitchen, where Shizuku was crying and Kasumi was fully shifted and shouting at her.

“Stop crying!” Kasumi snarled. “Can’t you understand I don’t wanna play right now? You’re so annoying!” She made to swipe at her little sister, but Honoka grabbed her by the wrist.

“Kasumi! Calm down!” Honoka cried. “What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?!”

Kasumi snatched her hand away from her mother’s grip. “Don’t touch me!”

Honoka bristled at her daughter’s hostile tone. “Hey! Don’t you talk to me like that! And apologize to your sister!”

“Why should I?” Kasumi’s fur stood on end and she showed her fangs in a plain display of aggression. “She’s too dumb and annoying to know anything! And so are you, Honey! Fuck off!”

Honoka snarled and took a swipe at her daughter, but she aimed only to frighten, not to hurt. Kasumi actually retaliated, however, and struck Honoka across the face, leaving four bloody lines on her cheek. She shoved past her mother and stormed up the stairs, leaving Honoka slack-jawed and clutching her face. Little Shizuku burst into her furs at the sight of the blood and tore up the stairs after her sister, screeching. Honoka snatched her up before she could get to Kasumi, and held the tiny alpha to the floor while she screamed and thrashed.

“We’re home!”

Eli, Nozomi, Karin, and Kiyoko arrived carrying bags stuffed full with groceries. All four were immediately alarmed at the sound of Shizuku’s furious roars and all the thumping and scratching, and so Eli went to fetch Umi, while Nozomi swept Kiyoko away into the bedroom so as not to get her wound up, too. Karin, left alone, began to awkwardly put the groceries away.

“What’s going on?” Umi emerged from her room before Eli could even knock.

“Shizuku’s having a fit,” Eli said. “Honoka needs you.”

Umi rushed to Honoka’s aid, and the pair of them held Shizuku down together until she was calm enough to be held and rocked instead. Umi didn’t even notice the blood dripping down Honoka’s chin until Shizuku was done wailing and nestled securely in her arms.

“Honoka, you’re bleeding!” Umi cried. “Did Shizuku do that?”

Honoka shook her head. “No… It was Kasumi.” She touched her still-stinging cheek and frowned at the red on her fingers. “She was mad at me because I told her to stop yelling at Shizuku.”

“That girl…” Umi sighed and stood up, bringing the rather heavy Shizuku along with her. “Still, it’s not like her to try and _hurt_ you. I wonder if she was already upset about something else.”

“Maybe…” Honoka shrugged. “It kinda hurt my feelings, you know.”

Karin poked her head around the corner. “You know Kasumi had a date with a boy tonight, right?” she said. “Maybe it didn’t go so well or something?”

Honoka heaved a huge sigh. “Oh boy… Is that what it is? Sheesh! Well, hopefully she’ll come around soon. We were supposed to make pudding together, after all.”

Kasumi did eventually come around. At dinnertime, she crept meekly from her room, head bowed with shame, and sought out Honoka. She threw her arms around the alpha and nuzzled into her chest in an uncharacteristic display of affection.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you and scratched you, Honey!” Kasumi cried. “I didn’t mean any of it! I love you!” She reached up and kissed the bandage now covering Honoka’s cheek.

It was nice to have Honoka back to her happy-go-lucky self, as the sad, sulking Honoka of the past few hours was throwing everyone off. Kasumi sat close to Shizuku during the meal, and shared her scents and her food with the little one as an apology for earlier. Sure, Shizuku was her annoying little sister, but Kasumi loved her still, and rarely meant any of the mean comments she threw around. All was forgiven, even if Kasumi refused to disclose the reason for her upset, and the Muse family was back in balance.

“Everyone, we’re having a patrol tonight at two o’clock,” Eli announced as most of the pack was finishing up their meal. “And Karin, I want you to come with us. I think you’re old enough now.”

Karin blinked, and reddened as she realized the entire pack was smiling at her. “Oh, uh, really? I really can?!” Patrolling with the big alphas was something she’d wanted to do ever since she was a tiny cub, but was obviously forbidden.

Eli nodded. “I talked to everyone, and we all agree that it’s time for your first patrol. Make sure you set an alarm!”

Kiyoko sprang to her feet at this news. “Mommy! I wanna go on the patrol, too!”

“Me too!” Shizuku piped up.

Eli smiled at the eagerness of the little alphas, but she shook her head. “Not yet,” she said. “You two are still too young to go out. But-”

“But Mommy…!”

“ _But_ ,” Eli continued, “I have an even more important job for you two. We need you to stay here and keep watch over the house while we’re gone. We go on patrols to protect our neighborhood, but it’s just as important to protect our homes from the inside, too. Do you two think you can handle it?”

“Ohh, okay, Mommy.” Kiyoko knew, of course, that what Mommy _really_ meant was that she had to stay home because she was too little, but it might still be fun to stay up all night keeping watch with Shizuku. After all, that bad alpha from the grocery store was still probably out there, and if she came to the house while Mommy was away, Kiyoko would keep Mama safe!

 

It was two o’clock in the morning, time for the patrol, and the Muse alphas met with the Aqours alphas at the intersection of their respective streets. Karin was nervous for her first official patrol, even though she was among friends. It was the awkwardness of being a child performing an adult task in front of adults for the first time that got to her; otherwise, she wouldn’t be so worked up about peeing outside and investigating scents. Eli kept her close and gave her some encouraging words.

“We always start here, Karin-chan… Hm?” Eli sniffed, and eventually brought her face close to the signpost. Karin’s marker from the night of her mating was still there, and thus smelled relatively fresh to the elder alpha. “Karin? Did you already mark here before?”

Karin felt a pulse of dread at her mother’s question. “Uhhhm, yeah, I, uh, had to pee before school the other day,” she lied.

Kanan’s eyes bored straight into Karin’s, hard and unflinching and absolutely knowing. “We should be careful that the cubs never mark without us,” she said with a forceful edge, and Karin averted her gaze. “We want the adults’ presence to be strong. We can’t go advertising that there are nothing but cubs around here.”

“Yes, Kanan-san.” Karin kept her eyes low. Kanan knew her secret, it seemed, and now she was in danger of _everyone_ finding out.

Riko noted Karin’s downcast expression, and tried to cheer her up. “She’s right Karin-chan,” she said. “That’s why I couldn’t bring Setsuna tonight. She still has that baby cub smell, and it makes us seem vulnerable. But you’re growing out of it pretty quick, and soon you’ll be able to mark by yourself if you want to!”

Eli led her cub around the neighborhood with the other alphas, teaching her all the prime spots for marking, most of which were other people’s mailboxes, prominent trees, and neighborhood landmarks. Scenting, Eli explained, was something undetectable by betas, but essential for alphas and omegas to scope out new areas and claim ownership, as well as to serve as a deterrent to troublemaking shifters. An aggressive alpha acting alone, for example, was much less likely to try anything in an area already marked by another strong alpha or a pack of alphas.

“I guess we’ve been kind of complacent,” Eli said. “We need to keep up with our markers from now on to prevent any more trouble, especially from Naoko.”

Karin at first found it difficult to produce when everyone was watching, as pissing was a typically private activity, but once she _did_ manage, found it even more difficult to stop and save some for other posts. There was also the matter of being a little cub in the most personal of ways, something she’d never really considered before tonight, when she was expected to act as a grown alpha. Aside from Eli, Kanan in particular boasted an impressive size, and Karin couldn’t help but feel like the blue alpha was asserting her dominance over her with how boldly she showed it off.

Once all the major sites had been scented (Karin ran dry less than halfway through), the pack members dispersed to hang out and investigate any sounds or smells of interest. Eli and Karin stuck close together, chatting a bit about life and school and work.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to spend as much time with you lately,” Eli said. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted you to come with us tonight. Also, Mama told me you’ve been a little, mm… absentminded lately. Is everything going okay?”

“Everything’s okay, I’ve just been busy with school and stuff.” Karin avoided her mother’s eyes, perhaps betraying her true feelings, but Eli chose not to pry.

“I’m here to help if you need anything,” Eli said. “So what’d you think of your first patrol? It’s not that big a deal, right? But you’re getting older now, and soon it’ll be your responsibility too to keep the omegas and the cubs safe. And one day you might have your own cubs to protect, so I want to teach you everything now and get you into good habits.”

Karin’s tummy tightened, and she thought of the tiny spark of life growing in Ai’s belly – the one _she_ put there. Did Eli not have a right to know about her grandcub? “Actually, Mom…” Karin turned her big blue eyes up to finally meet her mother’s. “The truth is that… Well… I-”

“Eli! Eli!”

Riko came running up, all out of breath and in a tizzy. “Eli, Karin, come help. There’s a cub inside the playground equipment and she won’t come out!”

Eli and Karin followed Riko over to the children’s playground nearby, the same one where Karin and her friends once found Dia badly wounded. Nico and You were there, trying to coax a frightened cub, an omega by the scent of her, out of a tube, while Honoka and Dia stood guard nearby. Eli ordered Karin to stay with Rin while she climbed up onto the playset to have a look.

“Eli, look,” You said. “It’s that alpha’s cub. Fujishiro? I recognize her from that day she came over.”

Eli peered into the tube. It was dark, but You lit the way with her phone, and there sat little Yumi, shifted and snarling as fiercely as her little body could. The tang of fear emanating from the tube was so powerful Eli would not have believed it came from a single cub had she not seen her with her own eyes. Every time You or Nico tried to reach for her, Yumi would roar and scramble away, and when they tried reaching from both sides of the tube, Yumi sat in the middle and clawed at them until they left her alone.

“What should we do?” Nico asked. “We can’t just leave her here. Just look how dirty she is!”

Eli frowned and reached out to the cub. “Come here, little one,” she said. “We won’t hurt you. Are you hungry? Do you want me to get you something to eat?”

Yumi’s only response was to bristle and growl.

“It’s no use,” Nico said. “We’ve tried everything, but she won’t budge. I’ll sleep out here with her if I have to, but I’m not leaving her alone.”

Eli frowned. Clearly this little cub was frightened and overwhelmed, but how could they calm her enough to get her to safety? Being a tiny omega surrounded by multiple grown alphas surely wasn’t helping, so Eli suggested they back off and call an omega for help.

“I’m sure Yocchan is still awake,” Riko said. “I’ll bring her over.”

Riko returned with Yoshiko shortly afterward. The other alphas gave Yumi some space, but even then she refused to come out, and occasionally would growl at them. Yoshiko had them stand even farther away while she climbed up to the tube to confront the cub.

“Hi there, tiny cub,” Yoshiko said. She seated herself at one end of the tube and tried to adjust her body language to be as welcoming as possible. “You’re Yumi-chan, right? My name’s Yoshiko. Those alphas are gone now. No one’s gonna hurt you.”

Yumi remained defensive, though her growls weren’t nearly as desperate as when the alphas were trying to reach her. Yoshiko continued to talk, hoping to build up a little trust between them.

“Are you lost Yumi-chan?” she asked. “It’s not safe for cubs to be out alone at night, you know. Do you wanna come sleep at my house? In the morning we can make breakfast and watch TV!”

It took nearly half an hour of Yoshiko talking softly before Yumi responded with something other than silence or a growl. The cub inched closer, and her furs began to diminish just a little. Yoshiko opened her arms up, and to everyone’s relief, the cub crawled into them and collapsed in Yoshiko’s lap.

“I can’t find my mama,” Yumi said, her voice quiet and scratchy from roaring and growling half the night.

“Who’s your mama, Yumi-chan?” Yoshiko asked. She stroked the cub’s dirty fur gently until at last it all disappeared. “Is she an alpha?”

Yumi shook her head. “No!” she said. “Mama is lost.”

Yoshiko scooped the little girl up and climbed down from the playset. The alphas still stood far enough away that Yumi paid them no mind, if she even realized they were there anymore. Yoshiko cradled the traumatized cub like a treasure, which she was, and headed for home with only Riko trailing several feet behind.

Yumi burst into her furs again and began to scream the moment they made it through the door. The heavy scent of the Aqours pack, including the alphas, was threatening to the little one’s senses, and she began to kick and push away from Yoshiko. Yoshiko held her tight and stroked her hair and attempted to talk her down, like she used to do for Setsuna when she was little and unable to control her shifts.

“Easy, easy,” she said. “This is my house, it’s okay. There’s no one here who’s gonna hurt you.”

The cub clung to Yoshiko, still panting with fear, but no longer trying to run. Yoshiko brought her to the bathroom, where she let her use the toilet and ran a bath for her. Yumi was reluctant to allow the older omega to undress her, so Yoshiko let her do it herself, and had to bite back a cry of shock at the marks on the cub’s skin.

Everyone knew the stories of bad, evil alphas who used omega cubs for their own nefarious purposes, and that alphas like that really existed out there in the world, but never before had Yoshiko come face-to-face with such a case. Emotion settled like a great weight in the pit of her stomach, but she kept her best mama face on for Yumi.

This wasn’t exactly how she’d planned to spend the rest of her night, but she had a duty to the lost little omega now.

 

Things were heating up outside. The Muse and Aqours alphas decided to wrap up and head home for the night, but on their way back, Sarah and Leah made an appearance. Much of Aqours reacted negatively to their presence, particularly Kanan, but Eli stepped in to defend them.

“Everyone, calm down,” she said. “This is my coworker, Sarah, and her sister, Leah. They’re friendly.”

Sarah nodded her thanks to Eli, but she still took a step back from the other alphas to confirm her submission to them. “Thank you,” she said. “We’re friends of Eli’s. We don’t mean to intrude, but there’s someone we’re looking for.”

The pack relaxed somewhat when Eli announced their friendship, but given that they’d just rescued a lost, frightened cub, the fact that Sarah and Leah were searching for someone seemed rather fishy, indeed. It was You who decided to probe them.

“Who exactly are you looking for?” the grey alpha asked.

Before Sarah or Leah could reply, a third, black-furred alpha arrived on the scene. The moment the new alpha’s musk met Eli’s nose, a surge of primal anger shook her body. She shoved past Sarah, fur bursting from her skin, and grabbed hold of the alpha’s arm, snarling like a horrible beast.

“ _You_!”

Recognition bloomed on the other alpha’s face, and immediately she raised her hands and hung her head in complete submission to dominant Eli. The submissive display pleased Eli, but she did not release the alpha.

“We swore we’d put you down if you ever showed your face here again,” Eli growled, yanking the alpha closer.

Leah shifted instantly and made an attempt to shove Eli away, but the blonde alpha was solid in her grip. “Let her go! That’s our cousin!”

Dia, Rin, and Nico recognized the alpha, too, and they rushed to Eli’s aid, wedging themselves between their packmate and the alpha sisters. Eager to prove herself, Karin joined them, snarling for all she was worth, but Kanan dragged her back to safety with a disapproving shake of her head.

“Sarah, Leah, _your cousin_ once threatened our neighborhood and viciously attacked our packmates,” Eli said. “I’d like to know why she’s here again. I hope you weren’t connected to that attack, because if you were…”

“She wasn’t,” the alpha interjected. “Sarah and Leah are innocent. My name is Hitomi. My sister and I acted alone when we came here looking for mates.” She hesitated, carefully choosing her next words, before continuing. “I know an apology probably won’t mean much to you… But I do want to say that I’m so deeply sorry for back then. So much has changed.”

Eli studied Hitomi with a fierce, critical eye. Here was one of the alphas who once intended to murder Mari and brutally violate Ayumu and possibly Ruby, and she was asking for forgiveness. Eli took a long time to respond.

“It wasn’t my mate or my daughter you tried to hurt, so it isn’t really my place to accept your apology or not,” Eli said. “I’ll leave that to Kanan and Riko, and to Dia, who you nearly killed.” She shoved Hitomi to the ground, where she stayed and practically groveled at Eli’s feet.

“Please have mercy,” Hitomi said, her voice muffled in the grass. “I have to rescue my little niece.”

Eli turned to Kanan, who was staring at the pleading Hitomi with bitter contempt. She gave her blue friend’s shoulder an affectionate shake, and pushed her gently away from the other alpha.

“Let’s talk to Sarah first,” Eli said softly. “She said she has a little niece, and that cub…”

“Right.” Kanan nodded and stepped aside, but she never let her eyes stray from Hitomi.

Rin, Dia, and Nico hung respectfully back now to allow Eli to speak to Sarah, but all three, plus the remaining alphas, remained on guard in case the situation turned ugly.

“Sarah,” Eli said, “did you know about all this? About what your cousin did here?”

“We knew that it happened,” Sarah said. “I just had no idea it happened to _you_. I’m sorry for this.” She chewed her lip for a bit, considering her next words. “Eli-san… I know you all must hate her, but we have a very important mission here. Her niece, a little omega cub, is in trouble, and we’re trying to find her and rescue her.”

“What happened to the cub?” Eli asked. It was very obviously the cub they’d found on the playground, but Eli wanted to hear what they had to say before they simply handed the little one over. She nudged Hitomi with her foot and ordered her to get up, as they needed to hear her explanation, as well.

“Her name is Yumi,” Hitomi said as she climbed to her feet. Eli saw Kanan and You glance at her from the corner of her eye, but she let Hitomi continue uninterrupted. “Her mother is my sister – not the one you know from back then, but my other sister, an omega. She… died recently. And I know that her mate – Yumi’s father – is hurting Yumi. I never did like that woman, and she’s part of the reason why I decided to change. So…”

Disgust bubbled up in Eli’s chest at the suggestion that Naoko was hurting the cub, but it came as no surprise considering the cub’s earlier behavior, and considering Naoko’s history. Twenty-five years had passed since Nozomi first came to Eli, broken and desperate for help, and since Eli put Naoko in her place. The second time, Eli only let Naoko live to serve as a “lesson” to her and to others like her, but Eli’s lesson and time, it seemed, had done nothing to change the alpha’s wicked ways. This time would be the last.

“I’ll help you,” Eli finally declared after several moments of silent deliberation. “I have a history with the cub’s father, so it’s personal for me, as well. We have Yumi, so she’s safe, but you’re going to have to prove to me that you’ve changed before I allow you anywhere near her.”

Hitomi breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Thank you so much,” she said. “I’ll do anything you ask. I mean it. I… I remember the way you fought when we first met. I swear I’ll be on your side this time.” She finally met Eli’s eyes, and then slowly let her gaze roll over each member of the pack.

Sarah nodded her approval at the new alliance. “Why don’t we meet up tomorrow, then?” she suggested. “We can have dinner at my place and talk a bit more in detail.”

All agreed, and once everyone began to disperse, Kanan gave Eli a nudge.

“You know I expect to hear the whole story, right?” she said.

The two friends shared a nuzzle and a promise, and then trudged home to bed with their respective packmates. It’d been a much longer outing than expected, but at least progress was being made.

 

Ai only picked at her breakfast the following morning. Less than an hour earlier her mother had come into her room and sat down to have a serious chat with her, and that was when Ai discovered that her chances of actually being pregnant were slim to none. She’d learned about some methods of birth control before, mostly as secondhand information from Setsuna or from late-night internet searches, but she was not previously aware that “emergency contraceptives” existed, and was _certainly_ not aware that her mama had given her one.

It should have been a relief, and it was, somewhat, because she recognized that they were still just cubs themselves, but Ai wondered now what Karin would think. Her alpha friend had only just now begun to return her affections in earnest, and Ai knew this was partly out of duty to the cub she believed was in Ai’s belly. It would be a shame to lose Karin’s love now that there was no little one to look after.

“Mama, Papa,” she said after remaining silent through much of the meal, “can I go to Karin’s today? I should tell her about… y’know…”

A contemplative frown settled on Kanan’s face, and it seemed that she might reply negatively, but Mari gave her mate’s arm a reassuring rub.

“Let’s let her go, _darling_ ,” she said. “Karin deserves to know the full situation, after all.”

And so Ai set out for the Muse pack’s house arm-in-arm with her beloved Papa, with her little sister Sayuri hopping and skipping ahead of them, and for once without Setsuna. Her alpha “cousin” was still too ashamed to show her face in front of Kasumi after the spying incident, and it wasn’t likely that Kasumi would be very happy to see her anyway. Ai nuzzled into Kanan’s arm as they waited for someone to answer the door, and Kanan gazed down at her with a warmth that hadn’t been present for the past few days, ever since she found out about the mating.

“Thanks for bringing me, Papa!” Ai said.

“You don’t have to thank me,” Kanan replied. “No matter how old you get, you’re still my baby, you know…”

When the door finally opened, Rin was there, all shifted and grinning and with her daughter Kanata clinging to her back. The house was buzzing with the sounds of happy cubs playing, and Sayuri began to bounce in place with the anticipation of joining them.

“Kanan, Ai, Sayuri-chan!” Rin let the door swing open wider to let them in. “Come in, come in! We’ve still got food on the table and we’re getting ready to play in the sprinkler!”

Sayuri charged in full-force at the mention of the sprinkler, completely forgetting her manners, but Rin only laughed. Karin waved Ai over to the table the moment she saw her, so Ai quickly shared scents with Rin and zipped inside to flop down next to Karin and nuzzle her.

“They’re getting along pretty nicely these days, huh?” said Rin.

“A little too nicely, if I’m being honest,” Kanan admitted with a wary glance in Karin’s direction. “You better watch out, because Kanata-chan will be all grown up before you know it!”

Kanan left her children at the Muse home with the promise to pick them up before dinnertime so that she and Eli could go to Sarah’s place together. Nozomi and Eli busied themselves with cleaning up the kitchen while Karin finished eating and shared her plate with Ai.

“I have to tell you something important, Karin,” Ai said just loud enough for only Karin to hear. “Can we go upstairs in a minute?”

Karin agreed, and so once she finished her food and did her share of the cleaning up, she headed upstairs to her room with Ai in tow. Eli looked for a moment like she might stop them, but instead she said nothing, and Karin felt embarrassment prickle at her skin, because she _knew_ what her mother was thinking, even if she didn’t know about the mating.

Once they were alone and behind Karin’s closed bedroom door, Karin scented Ai again, desperate, for a very alpha reason, to overtake the traces of Kanan and Rin’s scents that still lingered on her mate. Ai offered no resistance to Karin’s unusual passion, though she stiffened when Karin’s hand came to rest low on her belly, where before she might have believed their cub was growing.

“I decided next year will be my last year in school,” Karin said. She stroked Ai’s tummy the way she once saw Eli stroking Nozomi’s when she was pregnant with Kiyoko, though Ai was not nearly so round yet, and in fact, evidence of their cub was not visible at all. “I haven’t told Mama or Mommy yet, but… I think it’ll be better for me to start working instead of going to high school, so I can, um… You know. Make money to support our cub…” She reddened, as the mention of the cub inevitably brought with it the memory of how it came to be.

Ai swallowed hard and shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, actually, Karin, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about…” She lowered herself to the bed and stared at her folded hands for a bit, and Karin, concerned, joined her and took her hands in her own.

“Ai? W-what do you mean?!”

There was an edge of panic in the alpha’s voice that sent a shudder of grief through Ai’s heart. Karin – sweet, awkward, innocent Karin – was already so dedicated to their child mere days after the fact, despite her obvious reluctance to leave school and her own dreams behind to be a barely-teenaged father. It felt like such a shame to waste that dedication with the admission that there _was_ no child, and worse, Ai feared, perhaps irrationally, that Karin’s loyalty would dissipate without the cub holding them together.

“Well… Karin-chan, I don’t think I’m actually pregnant,” Ai said. “Mama said she gave me a certain medicine that night, and, uh… Yeah. I don’t think we’re… having a cub.”

Karin stared at her, blue eyes wider than ever, and she opened her mouth several times as though she meant to speak, but she could not think of an appropriate reply. She’d spent the last few days in stressful deliberation, despite putting up a normal, cheery front for her family, and now, it seemed, the momentous decisions she’d come to were now obsolete. The weight of the responsibilities she’d accepted immediately fell away from her shoulders, and it was an honest-to-the-gods relief, but, for some reason she could never, ever put into words, Karin burst into tears, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slowly the story creeps along. thank yall so much as always for reading and commenting, my love for u is endless


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the scenes here are all very brief, but they're paving the way for the Real Meat. and it's coming. it is time
> 
> p.s. the tire swing incident is a real one and a favorite memory of mine

Yoshiko woke to soaking wet sheets, and she bolted upright in a panic, thinking she’d pissed the bed, but once she got her bearings, she noticed the urine did not carry her scent, or Riko’s, but a cub’s. Realization dawned on her as her drowsiness faded, and she stood up to look for the cub in her care. She couldn’t have gone far, as Yoshiko could still smell her baby scent, and with it that same unnaturally powerful fear musk she’d smelled at the playground last night.

“Yumi-chan,” she called, “where are you? Come out!”

Where would a child hide? Under the desk, of course. There she found Yumi trembling and with huge teary eyes, but making no sound. The cub flinched away from Yoshiko’s hand, and Yoshiko feared she’d have to rebuild what little trust they’d established the night before, but the initial jerk was the only one, and Yoshiko stroked the little one’s hair.

“Come on, it’s alright,” she said. “You can come out, you’re not in trouble. It _is_ time for another bath, though.”

It took a moment, but Yumi eventually crawled out from under Riko’s desk and allowed Yoshiko to carry her to the bathroom. There she took her second bath while Yoshiko dealt with the matter of her soiled clothes. She’d have to borrow another set of Sayuri’s clothes, which were a little big on the younger Yumi, but she couldn’t very well borrow from Sayuri forever, and so Yoshiko decided the pair of them ought to go shopping for more appropriate clothing.

“Yocchan? Are you in there?”

Riko knocked on the door, and Yoshiko opened it just enough to greet her with a kiss and hope that Yumi wouldn’t see. Riko was alarmed at the smell of cub urine that covered her mate’s clothes.

“Yocchan, is everything okay?” she asked. “How’s the cub?”

“She wet the bed,” Yoshiko said. “Can you change the shee-”

A tiny roar and a furious splashing and sloshing of water interrupted her. Yumi bolted from the tub with her furs out and scrambled around the bathroom in a panic, desperate to get away from Riko but left with nowhere to run. Finally, after covering the floor with an obscene amount of water, she found the sink cabinet and threw herself inside, kicking bottles of soap and cleaner out behind her. Riko was speechless, and Yoshiko just sighed.

“Sorry, babe, but you’re gonna have to go,” said the omega. “We can catch up later. Change the sheets for me, though, alright?”

She kissed Riko goodbye and then returned to the cub cowering in the cabinet. It took a fair amount of coaxing to get her to relax enough to come out, and even then she was still wound up too tight and was startled at the slightest things. Last night, Yoshiko gave Yumi the space to wash herself, but today, she just gave the cub a quick scrub and then wrapped her in a towel before hopping in the tub herself.

Once both omegas were dried and dressed, and the bathroom mopped up, they went downstairs to see what was left of breakfast. Yumi refused to walk by herself in the big, scary Aqours house, so she clung to Yoshiko when they entered the kitchen and the scents of the alphas mingled with the more pleasant aroma of the meal. You waved to the cub, and was met with an angry baby growl.

“Oh- You, is this the baby you mentioned?” Chika looked up from her plate at the sound of the growl. “She’s so scared! Poor little thing!” She made room for Yoshiko to join her at the table.

“Easy, cub.” Yoshiko rubbed the cub’s back and then set her down to eat in between herself and Chika. Yumi kept herself pressed against Yoshiko’s side, but she wasn’t nearly so scared of Chika as she was of You, who sat directly across from them. Luckily You was the only alpha still present at the table, and musky Kanan was still out taking the kids to Karin’s.

It took a fair bit of convincing on Yoshiko and Chika’s parts to get Yumi to eat, but once she finally got a taste, the two older omegas were astounded by her appetite. She was small for her age, but not terribly scrawny, so Yoshiko assumed she must have had regular meals at home, which was at least a small relief, but nowhere near enough to make up for the other forms of abuse the little one suffered. Once breakfast was over, it was time to deal with the matter of getting the cub some proper clothes, ones that actually fit her.

Chika decided to join Yoshiko and Yumi on their little shopping trip, stating she missed the days of shopping for Ayumu when she was little. Riko came, too, but only watched from a distance so as not to upset Yumi and cause a meltdown in public.

“How old are you, Yumi-chan?” Yoshiko asked while they perused the myriad of children’s clothing options.

“Four,” Yumi replied, and held up four fingers.

“Four, huh?” Yoshiko would have guessed a little younger, but then again, the cub was hardly an inch out of her shell yet, so there was no telling what she might be like once she finally had the chance to flourish.

“Four is pretty big!” Chika said. “When is your birthday? Do you know it?”

Yumi nodded, but she seemed to be done talking, and instead of replying, reached for Yoshiko to pick her up again. Yoshiko gave her hair an affectionate ruffle, but opted not to carry her. Her arms were tired for one thing (it’d been a long time since Setsuna was little, after all), and for two things, she needed Yumi to try on some of the clothes they’d picked together with Chika. Yumi, seeing that Yoshiko wouldn’t pick her up, instead turned to Chika, who giggled and swung her briefly up in the air before returning her to the floor.

“Come on, cub, let’s go over here! They have rooms where you can try on the clothes before you buy them,” Yoshiko explained. “I’ll let you do it yourself, alright? Just let me know if you need help.”

Yumi nodded and dutifully took her chosen clothes into the fitting room while Yoshiko and Chika waited outside. The cub opened the door several times to ensure that her caretakers were still there, and Chika smiled fondly.

“She’s so sweet,” she said. “It makes me miss when Ayumu was a baby. Well, things were a lot harder back then, but… It was just a special time! It really goes by too quick, and now Ayumu’s all grown up and in college and stuff! I still wish You and I could’ve had some together, too, but that’s just how life goes, I guess.”

Yoshiko frowned. “Cap told me you guys were still trying.”

Chika sighed deeply. “She has a hard time accepting what the doctor told us,” she said. “I mean, you know me, I’m always trying to look on the bright side! But that’s something we can’t really change, you know? I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still _hoping_ , but… Well, it is what it is.”

Yumi opened the door once more, interrupting that melancholy train of thought. The cub’s clothes were sorely mismatched, and her shirt was turned backwards with the tag sticking up to her neck, but she looked for the older omegas’ approval anyway.

“Oh, Yumi-chan, look at you!” Yoshiko giggled. “You did pretty good by yourself, but let me help you-”

“Yumi! Oh, Yumi, I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

An unknown voice called out to the cub, and both Yoshiko and Chika instinctively closed in on the cub to block the intruder’s access. The physical barrier didn’t mean much to Yumi, however, who shifted instantly once she caught the scent of the alpha, and began to panic as she had earlier during her bath. She scrambled past Yoshiko and Chika and rushed past several other shoppers, screeching.

“Jeez! Somebody put a leash on that thing!” shouted one woman who was nearly tripped by the frantic Yumi, and Yoshiko could have slapped her, but there was no time.

“Chika, catch Yumi!” Yoshiko ordered. “I know this alpha…”

The alpha was black-haired, and it was not Hitomi, but Hitomi’s sister, the one who, several years earlier, came dangerously close to violently violating sweet Ayumu. Yoshiko recognized the scent even after all this time, and she snarled viciously in Yumi’s defense.

“You’re…” The alpha seemed to remember Yoshiko, too, and bowed her head. “No, please, no, no, it’s not like that this time. I’m-”

Riko struck out of nowhere. She tackled the offensive alpha and dragged her down to the tile, where she held her by the throat and rumbled a threat. The stranger alpha retaliated and kicked at Riko, and once both were free of the other’s grasp, began to circle and strike at each other. That eventually degraded into a full alpha-style brawl, complete with fearsome roars and spatters of blood. The clothing store erupted into chaos, with people screaming and throwing down merchandise and dragging their children and family members away.

That was how the Sakurauchi family ended up banned from that particular store, and also how Riko earned her first ounce of respect from Yumi.

 

Setsuna purchased an inexpensive bouquet of pink and white flowers before heading over to the Muse home. She wasn’t sure, actually, if Kasumi was really a girl for flowers, but she did know that Riri and Mama fought once, and Riri apologized with a vase of fresh lilies the next day. She rang the doorbell and found herself blushing when Kasumi’s mama answered.

“Oh, Setsuna-chan!” Kotori smiled brightly and touched the petals of one of the flowers. “These are cute flowers! Are they for me?”

“N-no, they’re for… Kasumi, actually…” Setsuna stammered. “But- But I can bring some for you next time if you want!”

Kotori giggled and shook her head. “Kidding, kidding! Come in, I’m sure she’ll be happy to receive your present.”

Setsuna took a deep breath, and then headed up to Kasumi’s room. She held the bouquet behind her back and then knocked lightly, but chose not to announce herself otherwise. Setsuna heard some shuffling, presumably of clothes, behind the door, and Kasumi opened it a few moments later.

“Setsuna?”

Setsuna caught a glimpse of adorable, surprised Kasumi before the omega turned her face bitter and annoyed.

“What are you doing here?” Kasumi asked. “Here to spy on me in my own home now?”

“I’m not!” Setsuna cried. “Look… I’m sorry about yesterday. I was just, you know… trying to protect you. And stuff… Not spy. So… Here.”

She presented the flowers to her friend, and while Kasumi still tried to play grumpy, Setsuna knew her well enough to catch the softening in her features. Seems Kasumi was a girl for flowers, after all, or perhaps she was just a girl for Setsuna. Their relationship was far more frank than Karin and Ai’s, and yet somehow much more vague. They regularly played at the borders of intimacy, holding hands and sharing brushes and nuzzles so sweet as to rot an onlooker’s teeth, and with lip contact just scarce enough not to be considered kisses. Of course, those things only happened behind closed doors, so as not to spark any embarrassing teasing.

The pair certainly had a special relationship, and so when Kasumi agreed to meet up with the alpha boy Junichi after school, it stung. Setsuna was under the impression that theirs was an unspoken love, a transcendent passion cultivated since childhood, much like the ones from her favorite doujins, in which the love was laid so bare that neither participant had need to actually acknowledge it in words. That was not so, it seemed, and now Setsuna would have to prove herself as an alpha worthy of Kasumi’s affections.

That was easier said than done. Setsuna was small and slight of build, and relatively scrawny compared to someone like Karin, who was quickly growing into her own, and even Ai (an omega!), who shared the same love of athletics as her parents. She was _certainly_ no match for a boy like Junichi, who, despite being their same age, was already developing the broad shoulders and brute strength of a full-grown male alpha. Next to any alpha, really, Setsuna was just plain unremarkable.

“Jeez…” Kasumi accepted the flowers and stared at them with feigned disinterest. “Junichi still hasn’t texted me back, you know. He probably doesn’t wanna hang out with a girl with such, ah… meddling friends.”

Setsuna wilted at Kasumi’s unimpressed expression. “I’m sorry, Kasumi… I just wanted you to be safe,” she said. “If you don’t like the flowers, I can throw them out for you.”

“Of course not!” Kasumi swept over to her desk and held the bouquet in front of the window. “They can go right here. I’ll ask Mama for a vase or something.” She kept her back turned to Setsuna for a bit, silently crafting her next sentence so as to preserve her friend’s feelings, but her natural bluntness leaked out anyway. “Look, Setsuna, I appreciate you wanting to take care of me and all that. But just because I’m an omega doesn’t mean I’m weak, or delicate, or whatever crap like that. Seriously, you don’t have to go all white-knight on me.”

“Well, um…” Setsuna abandoned all thoughts of a yuri-esque “unspoken love.” As things were, she was going to have to speak up or else flounder in romantic purgatory forever. “Kasumi, I _really_ thought we had something going on…”

Kasumi blinked, and her poker face faltered. “Oh.” Several moments of torturous silence followed, until that classic cheeky grin at last spread across Kasumi’s face. “So you admit that you’re jealous!”

Setsuna gasped and clenched her fists. “That’s not…!”

“Suuure!” Kasumi closed the distance between them and brushed her lips against the alpha’s, just light enough to tease. She twirled to the door and winked back at Setsuna like the little devil she was. “…You’re it!” She dashed from the room.

Heat rushed to Setsuna’s cheeks and her penis at once, and she was left with no choice but to chase her.

 

By noontime, Kanata, Shizuku, and Reine (and Hanayo and Rin!) were all tuckered out from playing in the sun and in the sprinkler, but Kiyoko and Sayuri were already back up from their naps and eager to get outside again. Sayuri found Eli on the porch with a cold lemonade, and, forever the disrespecter of personal space, she climbed up into the older alpha’s lap and bumped foreheads with her.

“Can we go to the park?” she asked plainly.

“The park? I don’t see why not,” Eli replied. She eased the cub down to a more normal sitting position, away from her face. “Who all wants to go? Go and tell them to get ready, and we’ll go in just a minute.”

“Yay!” Sayuri sprang from Eli’s lap with a whoop of joy, but stopped still in her tracks when Nozomi emerged from the house with refills of drink for herself and Eli.

“Hi, Sayuri-chan!”

Sayuri, just moments ago all bouncy and nosy, melted into an awkward, rosy-cheeked mess. Nozomi flashed a grin at her mate. This always happened whenever Nozomi came around – the normally noisy and rude Sayuri grew shy, and if she didn’t grow shy, she turned into a strutting showoff. Today, Nozomi decided to tease the baby alpha.

“Your mama told me you’ve been getting a lot stronger lately,” Nozomi said. “I dunno, though… You still look pretty scrawny to me!”

Sayuri puffed out her chest, intent on demonstrating her alpha strength. “No, it’s true, I’m strong!” she said. “I’ll show you! Okay? I’ll show you, so just watch.” She found a sizable slab of concrete out by Nico’s flowerbeds, called out to Nozomi to ensure that she was, in fact, watching, then hefted the thing above her head and tossed it several feet away with an adorable roar.

Nozomi clapped and cheered from the porch. “Wooow! That’s really something, Sayuri-chan! You must be the strongest alpha on the block!”

“Actually, Papa is, but I’m second!”

Kiyoko came outside not long afterward looking for Sayuri. “Mommy? Are we going to the park? Sayuri said she was asking you but I think she forgot.”

“We are!” Eli assured her. “Go see if anyone else wants to come, and then we’ll go.”

Kasumi and Setsuna were busy watching some anime Setsuna had brought with her, and the other, younger cubs were still tired and not willing to go out again. That left just Karin and Ai, so Kiyoko climbed the stairs and, without knocking first, checked in with them. By then, Karin’s tears were dried and her chest done heaving with grief, and she found much comfort in Ai’s touch and in her lips. Both the older cubs startled at Kiyoko’s sudden entrance and quickly sat up straight and stiff, and Karin slapped a pillow into her lap.

“Um…” Kiyoko wasn’t sure how to react to their strange behavior, as it was awfully similar to another incident just a week prior, when she went to visit Mama and Mommy unannounced. She decided to simply ignore it and ask the question. “Wanna go to the park with us?”

Karin looked to Ai for her answer, and the blonde omega broke out into a grin.

“We should go, Karin!” she said. “Remember the tire swing?”

Karin groaned at the memory of the tire swing. It was a year ago that the pair of them had gone up to the park to play, and there they spun rapidly on the tire swing for upwards of an hour, after which they trudged home with their stomachs threatening to erupt any second. Mari then made them take out the smelly trash while they were still nauseous, just so she could laugh at their struggle. With that _fond_ memory in mind, the little couple decided to tag along.

Nozomi sent Eli off with a kiss and an utterance about being her “sexy wolf.” Karin could already feel the nausea building, and they weren’t even at the park yet! Sayuri skipped and bounced all around them as they walked, but cautious Kiyoko preferred to stay close and hold Eli’s hand. Karin and Ai held hands, too, and while that was nothing out of the ordinary, Karin felt a little awkward in doing so, as her mother was not yet aware of the recent change in the pair’s friendship. There were still so many kinks to work out before she could even think about telling her parents.

Rather than their neighborhood playground, Eli brought them to the larger, busier park in the town area so that they could meet and play with other children, too. Kiyoko and Sayuri met with a couple beta girls around their age and, with Sayuri’s boisterous personality acting as a “social lubricant” for the more timid Kiyoko, the four of them went right to climbing and running and playing pretend games together. Karin was at first shy to go run and play, as she was 13 years old now and a very quickly-growing alpha, but Eli nudged her off the bench, and Ai dragged her to their beloved tire swing.

Eli sat and watched the children from her place on the bench. It was hot out, but she was just happy to allow them some time to play with other kids. It was important that they learned about alpha-omega dynamics at home, being little alphas, but it was just as necessary that they learn to interact properly with betas, as well. It was sweet to watch Karin and Ai play, too, as they might have been bigger and older and developing more complex identities, but they’d still be cubs for a while yet.

“Are those all your girls?” the beta woman beside her asked.

Eli laughed. “Oh, no, just two of them! The other two are their friends, who are also sisters.”

“That’s my daughter there,” the woman said, and pointed to the little girl being chased by Kiyoko. “I don’t know who the other girl with them is, but they seem to be getting along! Have you lived in the area very long?”

Eli nodded. “I have, actually! I first moved here when I was in high school. During college I spent some time away from the area, but once we graduated my wife and I decided we wanted to get married and start a family where we grew up.”

The mention of Eli’s “wife” seemed to pique the beta woman’s interest. “Oh, that’s very sweet! Are you a, uh… A…”

“We’re shifters, yes,” Eli said, though the woman could very well have meant lesbian. “It was hard at first, but it seems more people like us are returning here these days.”

“My brother-in-law’s sister-in-law – I know that’s kind of complicated, haha – anyway, she’s married to an alpha man. He has a daughter from a previous marriage who’s an alpha. She’s at university right now in Kyoto.”

Eli blinked. “Huh, really? A family friend has an omega daughter at university in Kyoto, too. It’d be pretty interesting if they knew each other!”

“Yes it would!” The woman laughed. “Her name is Rina, if it ever happens to come up. She’s pretty unique, but a sweet girl. Wouldn’t that be neat if they were friends? Small world!”

Eli and the woman continued to chat and share stories and photos while the children enjoyed themselves. Nozomi sent her a text at one point, which turned out to be a picture of her in their bed, bare-ass naked with a devilish grin on her face, and Eli thought it was turning out to be a pretty great Saturday off from work. That is, until she smelled her.

She’d recognize that dark musk anywhere. Eli stood abruptly, startling her beta companion, and scoped out the playground, ready to spring into action should the any of the cubs be in danger. Off to the far left came Naoko with her back stiff and her eyes cold. Eli locked eyes with her and walked coolly to meet her, head held high so as not to betray any weakness, any fear, though her heart pounded privately in her chest at having the wretched alpha so close to her children.

“Ayase.”

Naoko stopped just feet away from Eli and regarded her with a hard, probing stare. Eli stood her ground with a gaze just as icy, but did not reply. Children still screamed and laughed in the background, swings squeaked and wooden fixtures creaked, but between just the two of them it seemed that there was only a deep, chilling silence.

“I know you have my cub,” Naoko continued when it seemed Eli would say nothing. “And I know where you live, and where your friends live. If you don’t return Yumi to me, there will be consequences for your family.”

“Yumi will not be returning to you,” Eli replied. “Leave, Naoko.”

Naoko pressed the issue. “You’d deprive me of my own child? A father of her cub? That makes you a kidnapper. I could call the police, they could even take _your_ children away.”

That was a bluff, as Naoko was the type to take matters into her own hands, and the police were reluctant to handle shifter cases, anyway. Besides, Eli would never return innocent Yumi to a known abuser. “You don’t care about her,” Eli said. “She’s only a doll to you, just like Nozomi was, and countless other omegas, I’m sure. You’re heartless. I should have killed you back then, and the world would have been better for it.”

The tension was rising, and the alphas began to slowly shift and circle each other as a prelude to combat. Their deep growls caught the attention of some of the playing children, and the more streetwise ones dragged the others quickly away from the danger. Sayuri recognized Naoko from a few days ago, when Maki flipped the poolside table onto her, and the musk of her was so infuriating that her furs practically exploded from her skin as she launched herself from the slide. Ai jumped from the swing and caught Sayuri before she got too close to the impending battle, but the tiny alpha’s swinging claws and kicking feet were powerful in her frenzy, and she threatened to slip from Ai’s grasp.

“Karin! Help!”

Karin, who was bristling herself and frozen with alarm, came back to her senses at Ai’s cry, and threw herself down to help pin the thrashing Sayuri to the ground. It was so difficult, and both Karin and Ai were scratched and punched and kicked multiple times by the little alpha, but they held her fast and kept her safe. Unfortunately, they did not have enough arms to catch Kiyoko, too, who came speeding past, furs and fangs out and ready to kill. Karin screamed for her and bolted to her feet, but she was too slow.

Naoko, who faced the playground at the time, saw the cub pounce just a horrible instant before Eli did. Her claws were quick as lightning and just as devastating. Eli was upon Naoko even before Kiyoko’s little body thudded to the ground, her anguished roar like deafening thunder. She drove Naoko away from the cubs, using every last ounce of her strength. Slashing, biting, shoving, punching – Eli assailed her enemy every way she knew how. Her cub was bloody in the grass, and she would have Naoko’s life if it was the last thing she ever did.

The beta woman, who had stayed behind when everyone else ran, rushed to Ai’s aid, pressing the screaming Sayuri back down to the ground while Karin ran to Kiyoko. Karin howled with grief at the mess of blood that covered her little sister’s face and soaked all through her torn clothes. Why couldn’t she have been faster, or paid more attention? Why did alpha claws have to be so powerful, and cub bodies so _soft_? She dropped herself down to touch her forehead to Kiyoko’s, and was startled when one of Kiyoko’s eyes, the one that wasn’t all bloody, fluttered open.

“Am I dying…?” Kiyoko’s voice was light and weak.

“Of course not! No!” Karin cried. “I’m calling an ambulance right now! You’re not dying!”

All of Karin’s faith was now in the gods, and in the paramedics, and in furious Eli, who could _never_ lose.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next time you get yumi on sif are you gonna just leave her in the present box? practice her or sell her? or are you gonna give her the love she deserves

Karin’s heart pumped wildly in her chest as she was torn between two places at once. She watched with raised hackles and bated breath as her mother and Naoko fought ferociously, and a fury burning in every fiber of her being compelled her to join the fight. It was her baby sister, sweet and tiny Kiyoko lying there with her face and belly torn and bleeding, that kept Karin in place. She could offer no help to Eli, and even less help to Kiyoko, who was handling her condition with alarming serenity, and so she sat there, panting and gripping her sister’s hand, wishing Kanan or Nico or Mama or _someone_ would come to help.

The blaring sirens drew Karin’s attention away from the battle. She thanked every god she could think of, and then the ones she didn’t even know, for the ambulance’s speedy arrival. Karin quickly explained what happened, and Kiyoko was soon surrounded by professionals doing their best to assess the situation while ignoring the ongoing brawl. As they carried Kiyoko into the back of the ambulance, Karin turned her eyes back to her mother, and gasped aloud when she saw that Naoko was gaining the upper hand.

“Mom!”

Eli’s ankle caught in a shallow hole, and Naoko used the brief lapse in her assault to ram her fist into the blonde alpha’s stomach with all the force she could muster. Eli fell back, at once gasping for breath and retching, and Naoko advanced on her with terrifying speed.

“Your sister needs medical attention _immediately_ ,” said one of the paramedics to Karin, and it was plain that besides the urgency of Kiyoko’s situation, he was also eager to get away from the alpha brawl. “There’s no time to waste. Are you riding with her?”

“I’m…”

Karin saw Naoko grip Eli by the throat, and felt her own throat tighten with fear. She wanted so badly to rush in and save her mother, and tear Naoko limb from limb, and yet… little Kiyoko, with her one open eye beginning to cloud over, needed her there. The baby alpha would be frightened and disoriented with all the urgency of the medics and the beeping of medical equipment, and if, gods forbid, these were her last moments, she didn’t deserve to spend them scared and alone. As much as she wished it, Karin _couldn’t_ be two places at once. With one last, longing look at choking, gasping Eli, and then at her mate, Ai, who sobbed from her place atop her raging sister, Karin made her decision, and climbed into the ambulance.

Ai watched Karin go, and the dread that already welled in her stomach became like a leaden weight. If Eli fell to Naoko, she and Sayuri would be next… Well, Sayuri would be next, and perhaps the kind beta woman who now rubbed her back reassuringly. But Ai was an omega, and thus destined for an even worse fate at Naoko’s hands. Papa would arrive soon, she told herself, as the fitness club where she worked wasn’t terribly far off, and if Papa didn’t come first, someone from Muse would, as she’d alerted Nozomi, as well. Ai stroked Sayuri’s hair with a shaking hand and spoke softly to her as she’d seen her mother do countless times, and while her shrieks and roars eventually faded to low growls, the glaze of fury never faded from the little one’s eyes.

Ai looked up to see Naoko catch Eli in the stomach again and toss her to the ground. The grey alpha stood ominously over her while she struggled for breath once again, and Ai had to look away. It was too much already, seeing cool, tough Eli with her fur all stained with red, without watching her suffer too – or worse, die.

A mighty roar shook the playground then, and Ai thought that her papa had arrived in time after all, but Kanan was nowhere to be seen. No, the great bellow belonged to none other than Nozomi, who was charging for Naoko as fast as her legs would take her.

“NAOKO!”

Nozomi’s voice was more beast than human, and hardly recognizable. She threw herself at the vile alpha, and the two began to battle in earnest, striking and slashing with claws and fangs, each trying to gain the upper hand as they unleashed their long-held resentment. Eli, several feet away, struggled upright and tried to call to her mate.

“Noz- Nozom- Ugh!”

Eli coughed again and vomited into the grass. She sucked air down in great gulps, but it never seemed enough for her winded body. There was no time to waste, though; she had to get to Nozomi, air or no. Her mate fought like she’d come straight from hell, and scored several great slashes across Naoko’s chest and arms, but it was just a matter of time before Naoko eventually overpowered her with the raw, brute force of a frenzied alpha.

It was only by the sheer power of alpha fury that Eli still stood. Any normal human, any beta, might have been reduced to shaking and wheezing and bleeding out on the grass, but Eli’s body refused to let her rest until Naoko drew her last breath. Hatred burned hot in her chest when she saw the other alpha lash out at Nozomi and leave three ugly red gashes on the omega’s perfect face, and then again across her shoulder. Nozomi staggered backwards with a cry of pain, and Naoko advanced on her.

“Nozomi!” Eli’s cry was hoarse. She leapt forward with all the energy she had left, grabbing Naoko from behind and pulling her down backwards. Eli nearly lost her breath again when she hit the ground, but she couldn’t afford to lose her focus or her grip. Quickly, she wrapped her legs around her enemy alpha in an attempt to immobilize her, if only a little, and used one claw to grasp Naoko’s jaw and forcefully tilt her head up, fully exposing her throat. “Do it! Nozomi!”

Nozomi’s breath came in harsh, ragged gulps. She stared, wild-eyed, at the sight before her, determined to commit it to memory. Here was her former tormentor, bloody and tattered, and displaying a throat just as soft and vulnerable as anyone else’s. Naoko was an alpha of impressive strength, but, as Nozomi came to know, she was never big. Eli was big, in heart and in deed, while Naoko – puny, sad, sorry Naoko – lived only for her own pleasure, at the expense of everyone and everything else.

Naoko flipped herself over, and the pair began to roll, with Naoko attempting to crush the breath from Eli beneath her and make her lose her grip, but Eli never let go. She finally sunk her fangs down into Naoko’s shoulder, and the instant the grey alpha hissed in pain, Eli resumed her previous position, forcing Naoko’s head back. 

“ _Nozomi!_ ” Eli screamed for her to act as Naoko snarled and bucked in defiance and clawed at Eli’s slipping hands.

Every unwelcome touch, every broken promise, every painful strike, every putdown, every violation of her dignity – all of these flooded back to Nozomi in that moment. With a vicious snarl, she launched herself at Naoko’s throat, and tasted revenge hot on her tongue.

 

Kanan and You arrived too late to join the action, but precisely when it was time to get Eli to the hospital. Until that point, Eli was only still awake thanks to the strength of her frenzy, but once the final blow was dealt and she was allowed to calm down, she collapsed into a furry, bloody heap, sending Nozomi into further hysterics. She shielded Eli’s body with her own and roared savagely at Kanan and You, and again at Nico and Rin once they arrived.

“Nozomi!” Nico cried. “Let us through! We have to take Eli to the hospital. She could die!” That wasn’t _necessarily_ true, as Eli most likely passed out from overexertion in her beastly form, but anything to get Nozomi to budge would have to do, and better safe than sorry when it came to their friend’s life, anyway.

Nozomi growled deeply at the approaching alphas, and she was a fearsome sight indeed, with Naoko’s blood still staining her fangs and splattered over her face, her fur, and all down her front. It was obvious she wasn’t thinking straight, so Nico whispered a plan to the others.

“Rin and You, you’ll have to grab her from behind and pull her back,” she said. “Me and Kanan will carry Eli to the car.”

Nico continued to speak softly to Nozomi to distract her while Rin and You snuck around behind the disoriented omega.

“Come on, Nozomi, it’s alright now, everything’s over,” Nico said. “We’ve got to get to the hospital now, okay? You and Eli both need to go. Now…”

Nozomi found herself suddenly yanked away from her beloved mate. She made a terrible, anguished noise that was neither fully human nor beast, but she offered no more resistance. The haze in her mind slowly began to clear, and she first recognized You and Rin holding her, and then Naoko’s lifeless body, and then her unconscious lover being carried to the car.

“Elicchi!” Her voice was so raw, so broken, that You and Rin couldn’t bear to hold her back anymore, so they released her, and she ran to the car, panting and sobbing. She shoved past Nico and Kanan and climbed into the backseat, where she cradled Eli’s head like a delicate treasure. “Elicchi…!”

It was plain that Nozomi still wasn’t all there, so Nico simply shut the car door and allowed Nozomi to hold her mate. She climbed into the front seat, but Kanan, rather than joining her, tossed the keys to You.

“Get her there fast!” Kanan said. “I’ll stay here and take care of the kids and Naoko.”

“Aye aye, captain!” You threw herself into the driver’s seat, and soon they were flying down the street, towards the hospital.

Kanan and Rin made their way back to the playground, where Ai and Sayuri were sobbing into the beta woman’s chest, and where, several yards away, Naoko lay dead. The sight of her with her fur all drenched and clumped with blood, and with her throat cruelly ripped out, was bone-chilling. Kanan averted her eyes as they passed, but Rin looked for a long time.

“Naoko was a bad person,” Rin said, her tone uncharacteristically serious. “I don’t know what happened to make her that way, and I have no place to say whether or not she deserved to die like this, but… She caused a lot of hurt while she was alive.”

Kanan didn’t know how to reply. She nodded her respect and allowed Rin to have her moment of closure while she went to comfort her crying children. Both Ai and Sayuri flung themselves at Kanan when she approached, each taking in her strong, comforting musk. The beta woman who helped them got to her feet and dusted off her pants, then called for her own daughter, who hid out in a tube slide for the duration of the shifters’ battle.

“Papa!” Ai cried. “We have to go to the hospital now! Karin’s there with Kiyoko, and she’s…” Her throat tightened and tears spilled from her eyes again at the memory of ravaged Kiyoko.

Kanan kissed her and wiped her tears away. “It’s gonna be okay, baby girl.” She stood and hefted little Sayuri up with her, while keeping Ai close. She gave a respectful bow to the beta woman, who was still standing nearby. “Thank you so much for watching out for my children. You really put yourself on the line, staying with them during a real alpha fight! Please, let me repay you sometime.” She dug one of Mari’s business cards out from her wallet and offered it to the woman.

The woman took the card, but she shook her head. “You don’t have to repay me! They were children in danger,” she said. “I couldn’t just leave them alone. I just wish I could have done something for that other little girl, the one who got hurt.”

Rin waved and came over to them, interrupting their conversation. “Hey! I had to call Nico to get Sarah’s number from Eli’s phone, but yeah, Sarah and Leah and Hitomi are on their way here to get Naoko’s body. Are you gonna head on to the hospital?”

“I’m gonna drop Sayuri off at home, then head to the hospital from there,” Kanan said. “I’ll get Dia to come wait with you in case the police or some other nosy people come around. Thanks, Rin.”

The two alphas shared scents, and Kanan headed for home with her children. As they left, Sayuri made as if to glance at Naoko’s bloody, lifeless form, but Kanan gently turned her head the other way and rubbed her back.

“I want Mama…” Sayuri said softly.

“We’re going home to Mama right now,” Kanan said. “Don’t look anymore.”

 

Yumi was tucked between Chika and the arm of the couch, fast asleep after her fit at the clothing store. Chika was worn out, too, and found herself dozing off to reruns of _Neurology Department_ and the warm aroma of Mari’s afternoon coffee. Riko and Yoshiko had yet to return from the urgent care center after the squabble with the alpha at the store, and, knowing them, they were probably off on an impromptu post-treatment date. Kanan, actually, came home early with Ai and Setsuna, and she announced to the pack that Naoko, who was Yumi’s father, was dead, and that she was going to visit Eli and Kiyoko in the hospital.

The news struck Chika in a way she couldn’t explain. She knew that Naoko hurt Yumi in unimaginably vile ways, and she wasn’t unhappy to hear that she would no longer be bothering her, but it was sad, in a way, to see the cub’s innocent, sleeping face and know that she was now left without a mother or a father.

At least Yumi had an aunt willing to take her in. Hitomi arrived with Sarah, Leah, and Dia not long after Dia went to help with transporting Naoko’s body. She bowed gratefully to Chika.

“Thank you so much for keeping Yumi safe,” Hitomi said. “My sister called and told me that you all attacked her in a store for trying to approach Yumi. I should have warned you beforehand that my sister was helping me look for Yumi, but I appreciate that you did what you could to protect her. Thank you.” She knelt down beside the couch and touched a gentle hand to Yumi’s hair. “Wake up, Yumi-chan.”

Yumi stirred and gave a grumpy grunt at first, but the instant she caught the scent of Hitomi’s musk, her eyes snapped open and she yelped and jerked away, kicking Hitomi in the jaw in the process. She snarled and tried to stuff herself in between Chika’s body and the back of the couch. Chika grabbed hold of the cub and placed her in her lap instead, holding her with a secure grip. Yumi clung to her and trembled.

“Yumi-chan, this is your aunt, Hitomi,” Chika said. “Aunt Hitomi wants to help you and take care of you. She’s an alpha, but she won’t hurt you. Okay?”

“No!” Yumi shrieked, for once using her words. “Alphas hurt!”

“I’m your mama’s sister, Yumi-chan,” Hitomi said as she rubbed her hurt jaw. “I miss her just as much as you. I’m on your side.”

Yumi shook her head and buried her face in Chika’s chest. “I want Mama only…”

Dia cleared her throat and spoke. “This isn’t going to work. Yumi is too traumatized to just be sent off with three alphas like this. I think… until she makes more progress, it might be best for her to stay with us for a while longer.”

Hitomi frowned. “Ah, I was going to take her back home to Hakodate with me, though. I don’t really have much longer to stay here.”

“You’re a single alpha, aren’t you?” Dia asked. “From the looks of it, I don’t think Yumi will be able to heal properly without an omega’s support, too. Sending her off alone with you would be a cruelty in her current state. I maintain that it’d be better for her to stay with us, at least for a while. She’ll be exposed to alphas here, but she’ll have plenty of omegas to keep her feeling secure. Besides, it’d be an undue burden on you to take on a cub without a mate.”

Hitomi nodded along with Dia’s words, though her face revealed her true feelings on the matter. “I guess you’re right… It’s just that she’s my sister’s child, you know? I want to make sure she’s taken care of.”

“We will most definitely take good care of her,” Dia said. “It’s not as though you have to be separated forever, or that we’re trying to keep her away from you. It’s for the benefit of the child.”

“I understand,” Hitomi said. “I agree with you. It’s hard, but… Alright. I’ll retrieve her birth certificate and other documents from Naoko’s apartment and bring them here for you.” It was plain that she wanted to show Yumi some sort of affection before she left, but she knew any attempts would just frighten the cub further, so she settled on words instead. “Yumi-chan, I’ll see you again soon, okay? Be good for the Aqours pack.”

Yumi watched her go from her safe spot nestled in Chika’s arms. Leah escorted Hitomi, but Sarah stayed behind for a moment.

“Dia, I just want to say that it was very kind of you to open your home to Yumi,” Sarah said.

“I’m sure Kanan and the others will agree with me,” Dia replied. “It’s about what’s best for the child. Besides, it’s not much trouble for us to take on one more cub.”

“Well, it’s admirable,” Sarah said, and her eyelids dropped slightly, adding _just_ a subtle hint of seduction to her expression. “Dinner today didn’t pan out for obvious reasons, but if you’d like to meet for a more casual lunch or something next weekend, then…”

The suggestion didn’t escape Dia, and she struggled to hide her surprise. Alpha or omega, it’d been far too long since anyone had paid her any sort of romantic attention. “Lunch sounds nice, yes. We can work out the details later.”

Once Sarah was gone, Chika raised her eyebrows at Dia. “Hey! Was she flirting with you just now?”

“Seems so.” Dia sat respectfully away from Yumi and Chika, and changed the subject. “We’ll have to prepare a room for Yumi. Riko won’t like this, but we may have to repurpose the piano room…”

Chika snorted a little at Dia’s reluctance to discuss her upcoming date, but she let it go. “Poor little Yumi. I’m sure she’ll be alright with a little help. Right?” She smiled and shifted Yumi onto the couch cushions. The cub swished her tail in annoyance at having been moved from her cozy spot, but she made up for it by pushing herself under Chika’s arm and settling there instead.

Every little bit of progress helped.

 

Nozomi’s injuries were light compared to her mate’s, requiring only a few stitches, some bandaging, and advice on keeping the wounds clean. She regained full mental clarity shortly after arriving at the hospital, which was a blessing on one hand, because she could explain the situation to the doctors and to her packmates, but a curse on the other, because she then remembered that Eli was gravely wounded, and that her baby Kiyoko had been rushed here before either of them. She begged the nurses to be allowed to see her cub.

“Please! I need to be with my baby!”

“Your daughter is in surgery right now,” the nurse said. “Dr. Yazawa is treating her personally. She’s in good hands.”

“Can’t you at least tell me what’s happening?”

The nurse nodded. “I can go get that information for you right now. I’ll be back.”

Eli arrived before the nurse. A different nurse wheeled her in, all cleaned and stitched and bandaged. When she caught sight of Nozomi, she grinned hugely and pointed at her.

“That’s my wife!” she told the nurse. “Oh my god! Hi, Nozomi! You look so… You look sooo… fuckin’ hot! Mmmm!”

Despite the looming situation of Kiyoko’s emergency surgery, Nozomi couldn’t help the great gust of laughter that escaped her mouth. Eli was clearly higher than the sun in the sky, and no matter how serious things were, hearing her slur and speak embarrassing nonsense was just plain funny. A smile even cracked across the otherwise-professional features of her nurse.

“She got pretty aggressive while we stitched her up, so we gave her a little something,” the nurse explained. “The medicine will help with her pain. Most of her wounds were shallow and should heal nicely as long as she rests and doesn’t do any heavy lifting or exercise. Two of them, one on her chest and one on her left shoulder, were deeper, and will probably be more painful for her.”

“I’m relieved,” Nozomi said. “She looked awful when we came in, and I was afraid she might have lost too much blood.”

“We did give her some fluids, but thankfully she seems to have passed out from exhaustion, not blood loss in full,” said the nurse. “It’s very, very easy for shifters to overdo it while they’re in their shifted form.”

Karin and Nico came up to visit while Eli still blabbered incessantly about how much she loved Nozomi, how hot she was for her, and how she “did it all for her.” It was a welcome distraction from thinking about Kiyoko, who, according to the second nurse, suffered serious damage to her left eye and potential internal damage due to the depth of her stomach wound. Had Naoko’s claws been just a smidge more accurate and more forceful, she might have been fatally disemboweled.

“I did it all for you, baby,” Eli said. “We’re gonna ride that train tonight, you and me, and no more Naoko. No more of that. Just me, and you, and… happy, happy train.”

Every word that came out of Eli’s mouth had Nico doubled over with laughter. Karin was more somber, perhaps because she actually saw Kiyoko’s wounds, but Nozomi drew her to Eli’s bedside to try and ease her nerves.

“Elicchi, look who it is!” Nozomi said. “It’s our little cub! She came to visit you.”

Eli’s eyes lit up, and she stared at Karin in awe, as though the cub was the universe’s greatest and most beautiful treasure. “Ohhh, harasho!” she cried. “That’s my baby!”

Karin was just happy to see her Mommy alive and well, out of sorts as she was. When she chose to go with Kiyoko in the ambulance, Karin knew she might never see her mother again, or even Ai, and it was crushing, but she had to fulfill her duty to her little sister. Seeing Eli now, though… Perhaps what the pack said about her was true after all, and she could never, ever lose, no matter how bad the fight.

Kanan and Ai stopped by not long after, and Nozomi’s heart warmed at how fervently the cubs clung to each other, and then to Eli. They stayed to talk for a while and enjoy Eli’s loopy chattering, and left with a promise to rush right back if anything should happen to Kiyoko. Nico eventually took Karin home, too, though the cub was reluctant to leave until her sister was in the clear.

“You did all you could, little cub,” Nozomi said. “I’m so proud of you, you know. You handled today like a real alpha. Now go home and rest! I’ll be here with Mommy and Kiyoko, and I promise I’ll call you if something comes up. Okay?”

“Yes, Mama.” Karin kissed her and nuzzled her and at last set out for home.

Eli seemed to be drifting off, and Nozomi spoke softly to her and stroked her hair until sleep took her. That left Nozomi alone to ponder the day’s events. It felt anticlimactic, almost – one moment, Naoko was alive and threatening her family, and the next, Nozomi was tearing her throat out. It was over now, and Naoko was dead, just like that.

What now?

Now… Life would go on, as though she’d never met with Naoko again at the supermarket. The cubs could play freely, and her packmates would go to work, and the bills would come in the mail, and the fridge would need to be filled. Nozomi expected that Naoko’s death would bring her relief, and even satisfaction, but now that the deed was actually done, her heart felt peculiarly heavy. Taking a life wasn’t something that Nozomi had ever done, and she understood now that it wasn’t something that could be taken lightly or accepted casually, regardless of her relationship to Naoko.

In the end, though, her need to keep her cubs and her mate safe trumped all sentimentality regarding the sanctity of life. Besides that, Naoko had gravely wounded Kiyoko – Nozomi’s little Kiyoko, who she’d made with Eli and carried and birthed and nursed and loved – and that was unforgivable. Nozomi trundled back to the bed provided to her and shut her eyes to the sunny afternoon blasting through the window. She wished she could sleep as easily as Eli, but her stomach tightened and twisted at the thoughts of everything that could go wrong with Kiyoko’s surgery.

Maki and her team were skilled at their jobs, of course, and Nozomi trusted her longtime packmate, but it was a mother’s duty to worry after her cubs, and worry she did, until at last Maki came to deliver the news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank yall always for keeping up with me and commenting. it makes my day every day and i love you
> 
> so it's about time for another cute fluff chapter. if there's something you want to see, like a pairing or a situation or a thread i forgot to tie up, please tell, and i might try to incorporate it next time. a lot of people have asked for dia, so i'll let the spotlight shine on her for bit, and yes nozoeli are gonna fuck and be cute. so if there's anything else................. lemme know. just keep in mind i can't smut


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the longest chapter yet, i'm serious, it's almost 7000 words of fluff
> 
> there was SO much i wanted to include, but even with this dramatic word count there were still things that i couldn't manage to fit in, or that i'll have to save for another time. even so i hope u enjoy reading about their happier times

Adjusting to life with one eye was difficult for Kiyoko. She was five years old, and had just mastered the basics of controlling her body and navigating the world, only to have her spatial awareness knocked down several pegs. All the spilled drinks and just-misses and accidental bumps and bruises frustrated her, sometimes to tears, and Kasumi constantly sneaking up on her left side to scare her didn’t help. But life went on, and Kiyoko learned to manage her new lens on the world over the course of a few months. There was another bright side, which was that, while she usually chose to use her glass eye, she looked like a pirate when she wore her patch instead (Sayuri gleefully informed her of this the moment she was allowed to visit her in the hospital). Playing off of that, when it came time for Mari’s annual Halloween party, the entire Muse pack got on board with the pirate theme.

Kiyoko lost her eye in mid-July, not long before the older cubs got out of school for summer break. It was now March, and the last day of school for the cubs before spring break and the start of a new year, which would be Kiyoko’s first year of school, as she was now six years old. Setsuna decided to end the school year with a bang, as Kasumi had gone into heat a couple weeks ago, and while she stayed home for the duration of it, she now smelled quite a bit more womanly than before, and both Setsuna and Junichi were still vying for her attention.

The two alphas met in the athletic field after school ended with the intention of settling things once and for all. The winner, they decided, would get to pursue Kasumi undisturbed by the other. The stakes were quite high for Setsuna, as not only did she risk losing her childhood friend to another alpha, but that alpha had significant physical developments on her. Junichi was taller and deeper-voiced now than even at their first meeting, and his musk was a man’s, not a cub’s, and it was expected that his strength would be, too. Meanwhile, Setsuna was still barely out of her baby scent, and only on rare occasions could she muster up an adult-sounding roar. Worst of all, she was still small-framed and skinny – the perfect punching bag for a bigger alpha.

Setsuna and Junichi went through the typical pre-battle posturing – circling, flexing arms and claws, showing fangs, swishing tails, and growling threats. When at last the tension was high enough, and the fury boiled hot enough in her blood, Setsuna opened with a great roar… at least, that’s what she was hoping for. Her voice betrayed her and her roar came out high-pitched and scratchy, like a little cub, and when Junichi responded with a fearsome bellow, Setsuna flung herself at him, furious at having been outdone.

“Hey! What the hell are you guys doing?!”

Kasumi arrived on the scene then, with Karin and Ai trailing behind her. Kasumi was pissed by the looks of her, but the fighting alphas were only emboldened by her presence, as now their favored omega would get to see them in action and decide for herself who was the more worthy mate.

Setsuna lashed out to rake her claws along Junichi’s arm, but the male alpha easily deflected her attack, and struck her hard across the face. Setsuna staggered back, clutching her cheek as blood leaked out, and Junichi used the opportunity to make a dirty move. A swift, hard foot to the groin had Setsuna howling, but before she could even finish crying, Junichi lifted her bodily over his head and tossed her full-force into the nearby fencing.

“Ah! Setsuna!”

Kasumi ran to her defeated friend, and Ai made as if to follow her, but Karin grabbed her and held her back. Junichi was a kind boy normally, and this was a prearranged fight, but Karin didn’t want to take any risks in case he got aggressive.

Setsuna lay crumpled in the grass, clutching her delicates and thoroughly humiliated. She thought she might as well never get up, as the shame was too overwhelming. Junichi could have Kasumi, as it was quite clear that she wasn’t fit to be anyone’s mate, or even an alpha. The gods could take away her cock and her balls and demote her to betahood now, and she would understand.

“Setsuna! What were you thinking?!” Kasumi knelt down beside her and berated her for her rash behavior. “You _know_ Junichi’s big and strong. Why on earth would you ever try to fight him? God! You’re such a stupidhead!”

Junichi stood proud and tall several feet away, eagerly awaiting his future mate’s praises, but, to his disappointment, Kasumi turned on him as well.

“And you!” Kasumi jabbed a finger in his direction. “What were _you_ thinking, fighting with a little alpha like Setsuna? You had to know you could beat her up easily! What’s with that? It’s not cool if you’re not on the same level!”

Junichi shrunk at the unexpected chastisement and stammered out an apology. “Ah, er, sorry, Kasumi-chan, it’s just that… Well, we agreed that the winner would, uh… The winner would get to be with you.”

Kasumi wasn’t impressed. “So the two of you decided… without me present… that the winner of this fight would be my mate? Really? Ever heard of omega agency before?”

“That’s not…”

“I don’t think that’s what he means,” Karin said. “I mean, we already know that Junichi and Setsuna are always kinda silently fighting for your attention. So I think he means the loser has to butt out.”

“Still dumb,” Kasumi said. “Besides, if I wanted-”

She was interrupted by Setsuna vomiting miserably into the grass, and she decided enough was enough for now.

“Oookay, let’s get you home, Setsuna,” Kasumi said. She stood and helped her weak-kneed friend to her feet. As she passed Junichi, she gave his arm a companionable shake. “Don’t be such a dumb brute next time.”

The group decided to go to Muse’s house first, and this was secretly so Kasumi could play nurse for Setsuna. Ai called her mother so she wouldn’t worry about them being late.

“Yeah, we’re going to Muse’s place for a little bit,” she said. “No… No, actually, it’s just because, err, Setsuna got… Honestly, Mama, she got nailed in the balls and then threw up, so… Yeah. Yeah! We’ll be home for dinner! Love ya!”

Karin gave Setsuna a sympathetic look as the pained alpha hobbled up the stairs with Kasumi at her side. Maki, who was settled on the couch with her tiny, furry baby on her chest, gave Karin a quizzical look.

“What happened to her?” the red omega asked.

Karin opened her mouth to reply, but Kasumi yelled from the top of the stairs. “She’s a stupid idiot is what happened!”

Setsuna groaned as Kasumi sat her down and began to dab at her cuts with a damp cloth. She’d stopped bleeding, at least, but her face was still crusted with blood, and it stung when Kasumi cleaned the wounds.

“Shut up,” Kasumi ordered the whining Setsuna. “This wouldn’t have happened if you just stopped to think for more than five seconds. Are all alphas like this? They just rush into stuff and then cry about it later?” Her tone was harsh, but her hands were gentle as she tended to Setsuna’s hurts. Once the cuts were cleaned to her satisfaction, she found some ointment in the sink drawer and applied it liberally to the cuts.

“I was just trying to impress you,” Setsuna admitted, and let her eyes drop down to her lap.

Kasumi sighed. “You don’t have to impress me, you know.” She found a large patch bandage and patted it onto Setsuna’s cheek, then leaned in and pressed her lips softly to the alpha’s. “I mean honestly… How many times do I have to kiss you – not Junichi, _you_ – for you to understand?”

“Oh…” Setsuna reddened, rather unusual since she and Kasumi kissed quite often. “But you always act like Junichi’s so cool and stuff, so I thought you preferred him. I can’t really compare to him, since I’m so small and… cubbish.”

Kasumi tried to hide her annoyance out of sensitivity to her friend, but she could only be sensitive to the same topic so many times. Setsuna’s inferiority complex was grating sometimes. “My god, Setsuna! You know there’s more than one way to be cool and impressive, right? You’re not gonna be buff, you’re just not, your parents are both built really slightly. But I like you the way you are, so you don’t have to try to act like some, y’know, _hotshot alpha_ for me.”

Setsuna smiled shyly and averted her eyes at Kasumi’s admission. “Well… Thanks, Kasumi.”

Kasumi pulled Setsuna to her feet and they shared scents, after which Kasumi touched a tentative hand to the front of Setsuna’s skirt. “How’s the family jewels holding up?”

“Fine!” was Setsuna’s high-pitched reply.

Kasumi smirked at that reaction and pushed her hand underneath Setsuna’s skirt to stroke her directly through her underwear. Setsuna looked at once like she wanted to run and like she wanted to melt. Kasumi giggled and removed her hand, then turned to the bathroom door with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Karin and Ai are probably waiting for us, so…”

“Yeah…”

Downstairs, Maki and Karin sat by while Ai held and cooed over Maki’s baby daughter, Yuri. The omega cub was tiny and still in her furs, which were all red like her mother’s. She smacked her lips and grinned at Ai’s cheery babytalk, and sometimes tried to swipe at her with her soft little claws. On the floor, Nozomi had her tarot cards laid out, and was teaching Kiyoko about basic spreads and how to interpret them.

“Setsuna-chan, are you alright now?” Nozomi asked when the pair returned. “Do you need some ice?”

“Ice…?” Setsuna’s alpha bits, which were previously aching, were now warm and tense thanks to Kasumi’s teasing treatment, and the ache was now dull and much more bearable. Perhaps some ice would help reduce the unfortunately noticeable tent in her skirt. “Um, I guess ice would be nice?”

She somewhat regretted asking for the ice, because sitting there cooling her privates in front of everyone was awkward, but no one besides Setsuna herself seemed to pay it any mind.

“Mama, what time are we leaving tomorrow?” Karin asked as she slid down to the floor to sit with her mother and her sister.

“We’re supposed to meet up with Aqours at nine o’clock, and then head out together,” Nozomi said.

They were referring, of course, to the week-long joint family vacation to Uchiura that was to happen tomorrow. Eli initially had reservations about attending, as money was a little tighter than usual due to Maki, the main breadwinner, taking her maternity leave, and when Mari insisted on covering the costs of the trip, Eli was at first astounded, and then promptly refused. She couldn’t take Aqours’ money. But Mari insisted, and insisted, and when the children caught wind of this possibly becoming a two-pack vacation, they insisted too, until finally Eli was forced to give in and allow Mari to pay their expenses.

Now, the big day was nearly upon them, and Karin was excited to see the place where her best friends were born, while Ai and Setsuna were eager to visit their old hometown again. The Aqours pack visited their home every few years, but now that Muse was coming with them, it’d be like a whole new experience!

“Lucky you didn’t get hurt any more than you did,” Kasumi said to Setsuna with a brief, but pointed glance at her friend’s crotch. “Otherwise we might have had to cancel the trip, and then I’d never forgive you!”

Setsuna frowned. “I know, I know.”

Nozomi chuckled at that. “Oh, Kasumi, don’t be too hard on her. She’s just doing what alphas do. Right?” She winked at Setsuna. Hard as the cubs might try to keep their feelings and activities a secret from the adults, Nozomi, at least, _always_ knew what was up.

 

The children came home for dinner, which was prepared by Dia, and therefore hearty, balanced, and healthy – exactly the sort of thing Sayuri hated. Sayuri was a little alpha, and as such her tastes leaned as far away as possible from the vegetation side of things; she much preferred gobbling down juicy, fatty meats and Mama’s fried fish. She kicked up quite a storm at the table, then, when Dia insisted that she eat her vegetables.

“I don’t _want_ to eat them,” Sayuri cried. “I want more beef!”

“You can have more beef _after_ you eat your veggies,” Dia said. 

“But Mooom! I don’t liiike theeem!”

Mari threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, leave her alone, Dia,” she said, and Dia turned to her with an icy glare, but Mari just winked. “Sayuri obviously doesn’t want to be a big, strong alpha like you or Papa. She wants to stay little, so all those good vitamins in the vegetables will just go to waste on her plate. Here, Sayuri-chan, let’s just give those veggies to Setsuna so she can grow up strong.”

Mari reached over, as though she meant to transfer Sayuri’s food to Setsuna’s plate, but Sayuri quickly grabbed her mother’s wrist.

“Wait, it’s okay, Mama, we don’t have to give it to Setsuna,” Sayuri said. “Actually I do like them.”

“Oh?” Mari raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. “You’ve decided to eat your vegetables after all, then?”

“Yes, Mama, Mom.” Sayuri took a big bite to emphasize her now pro-veggie position, and grimaced at the taste. But she ate them.

Mari looked quite smug at that. “There’s a big alpha.”

After dinner, Mari ran a bath to share with Kanan, and afterwards they stepped out onto the balcony to have a pre-bedtime chat. It was already dark, and the breeze was pleasantly cooling against their damp skin and hair.

“Sayuri-chan is too cute,” Mari said as she gazed up at shining half-moon. “She can’t wait to grow up and be like you, Kanan. She sees you swimming and running and lifting up heavy stuff and she tries to do it just like you. It’s just adorable.”

“I know,” Kanan said, and leaned her forehead against Mari’s. She was silent for a few moments, wrestling with her words, wondering if she ought to say it or just let it go. She’d let it go so many times before, but there weren’t very many years left before time would be up. “I love her so much… I just wish she was mine. I wanted the baby so badly, Mari.”

Mari blinked in surprise at that. She wasn’t so shocked by the admission itself as she was that Kanan actually brought it up. It’d been a rather cold subject ever since Sayuri first uttered the word “papa.”

“I know, Kanan-chan,” Mari said, and gave her mate a warm nuzzle. “I can’t go back and change what happened. But you’re still her Papa. She loves you and Dia just the same.”

Kanan nodded and brushed the stray strands of hair from her wife’s face. “Have you ever thought about having another one? With me, obviously…”

“Mm…” Mari frowned at Kanan’s earnest gaze. “I did before, but I haven’t lately. I’m kind of happy where we are right now, with Ai growing up well and Sayuri starting school next month. We’re not exactly _spring chickens_ , either, Kanan-chan…” Middle age was fast approaching for the couple, and while it was true that carrying and birthing children later in life was far safer for omegas than for betas, with nary a peep about it from Kanan until now, Mari hadn’t planned on any new additions. Kanan’s hurt expression could have killed her, however. “But… It’s not too late, I suppose. Why don’t we talk more about this after our vacation? Besides, we can _really_ let loose while we’re there…”

Mari’s suggestive look, coupled with the hint that she might be open to having another cub, made Kanan want to get started early. She drew Mari in for a kiss as she felt herself begin to swell. Mari must have scented her spike in arousal, because she fished Kanan’s cock out through the fly of her pajamas and squeezed and stroked her until she was at full mast and ready to take her.

“Oh god,” Kanan moaned against her mate’s lips. “Mari-”

“Hah! Papa, you’ve got a big weenie!”

Kanan yelped and scrambled to stuff herself back into her pants while Sayuri giggled. Sayuri herself was buck naked, and bounced away when Kanan tried to catch her.

“Get back here, you little devil!” Kanan cried, and chased the bare-assed cub all around the room. She finally managed to corner and snatch the cub up, after which she held her upside down by her ankles.

“Noooo! Papaaa!” Sayuri squealed and flailed about, but Kanan’s grip was firm.

“What do you think you’re doing sneaking in here with no clothes on?” Kanan asked.

“I didn’t want to take a bath,” Sayuri replied matter-of-factly. “Let me go!”

Kanan sighed. Bathtime foolery was Sayuri’s specialty, and one all three of the cub’s parents had significant experience dealing with, but Kanan was supposed to be fucking her wife, not wrangling unruly naked cubs. She made her way to the bathroom down the hall, with Sayuri wailing and wiggling all the way. Mari watched them go with an amused glint in her eye, and only waved when Sayuri cried out for her.

“Mama, help me pleeeaaase!”

Dia was waiting for her cub with scrub brush in hand, and, when Kanan presented Sayuri to her, she happily took hold of the cub’s arms so that the pair of them could lower the little deviant into the tub. Sayuri howled with displeasure at this betrayal.

“You guys are MEAN!”

Kanan said good night and retired back to her bedroom, where Mari was waiting with legs wide open. Dia, meanwhile, washed her daughter roughly and efficiently, and the little one was cleaned and dried before she ever knew what hit her. Sayuri accepted her fate and let Dia do her work, and didn’t complain when she was asked to brush her teeth and potty before bed.

Once all the boring bedtime duties were completed, Sayuri found that she actually _was_ quite sleepy, so Dia carried the cub to her room, but Sayuri objected, saying that she wanted to sleep in Dia’s room instead. Dia’s heart warmed at that, as Sayuri usually preferred to sleep with Mari and Kanan (she knew it was natural for a cub to want to sleep near its mother, but it still stung a bit, as though it was an actual rejection). She was a strict parent, and was very often hard on her daughter, but only because she loved her so deeply. It was for Sayuri’s own good that Dia made her brush her teeth, and eat her vegetables, and clean up after herself; it wouldn’t do for the cub she loved so much to grow up spoiled and with rotten habits. Mari agreed with her in every way, but the two of them had vastly different parenting styles, and Dia sometimes feared that Sayuri would ultimately come to prefer Mari and Kanan over her for their more lax approach.

Despite Sayuri’s claims of sleepiness, she was still quite chatty once the two of them settled down into Dia’s clean white sheets.

“Tomorrow we’re going to the place you were born, right?” Sayuri asked.

“Yes, it’s called Uchiura,” Dia said. “We went there once when you were about three years old. Do you remember it at all?”

Sayuri shook her head. “No, I think I was too little to remember! But now that I’m big I’ll be able to remember it,” she said. “But Mama said that’s where you and her and Papa used to play.”

“It’s true,” Dia said, and smiled at the memory of roaming the beaches and forests and parks of their little seaside town. “Mama used to sneak out of the house so she could play with me and Papa. She always used to get in trouble, but she never wanted to stop seeing us.”

Sayuri giggled at that mental image. It was hard to imagine that her mama used to be as small as her and get in just as much trouble. She shut her eyes for a while, and Dia thought she might have dropped off to sleep, but she was actually just thinking about her parents, and reopened her eyes again when she realized something.

“Hey, Mom,” she said, “how come Mama and Papa sleep in the same room, but you sleep here in your own room?”

“Mama and Papa are mates, that’s why they share a room,” Dia replied simply.

“Oh.” Sayuri looked thoughtful. “But how can you be my mom if you’re not Mama’s mate, too?”

Dia was taken aback at the youngster’s question, but she supposed it was bound to come up eventually. Sayuri was still too young to understand sexual relationships and the circumstances of her conception, so Dia responded in child-friendly terms. “I used to be Mama’s mate, but not anymore.” Technically true, though not at the time of Sayuri’s creation, but the little one didn’t need the details.

“Oh, that makes sense.” Sayuri yawned and cuddled closer to her mother’s warmth. She ran her little hand over Dia’s still-raised and ugly face scars. “…Are you gonna marry Sarah-san, Mom?”

“I might,” Dia replied. “It’s too early to know for sure.”

Sayuri shut her eyes at last and enjoyed Dia’s gentle stroking of her face and hair. “Well, if you do, don’t forget to invite me to the wedding.”

“I won’t forget, love. That’s enough talking for now, don’t you think? Let’s get to sleep so our trip will come quick.”

 

The view from the hotel room was incredible. Eli and Nozomi stood on the balcony, laughing as the sea breeze whipped back their hair and swallowed up their whoops of delight. Mari had really outdone herself, booking rooms like this for the members of Muse. Based on the looks of the place alone, paying her back would probably take a lifetime, but Mari demanded no payback; she simply wanted to do something nice for her family friends, and she had the funds to do so.

“Come on, Elicchi!” Nozomi pulled Eli back into the room. “Let’s get changed! The kids are waiting on us!”

“Right!”

The children were stoked to get to the beach once all the Aqours family reunions were over and done with. Kiyoko had never been to the beach before, and the last time Karin had gone, she’d been younger than Kiyoko was currently, and she could barely remember the experience. The water was stunningly blue, and the sands wondrously soft, such that even the grownups were in awe of it.

“Wooow!” Kiyoko squealed. She dug her little toes into the sand. “Mama, Mommy! That’s the ocean! Can we go in the ocean?!”

“Of course we can!” Nozomi said. “Come on, I’ll race ya!”

Nozomi and the cubs dashed across the sand to the inviting blue, where they laughed and splashed and jumped over the incoming waves. Nozomi stayed to Kiyoko’s blind left at all times to ensure her cub stayed safe and balanced in this new and fun situation. While the cubs played, Eli set up an umbrella and some beach towels for the ones who wanted to relax or sunbathe. Maki was allowed the prime spot underneath the wide-brimmed umbrella so she could shield baby Yuri from the sun, and the baby was enthralled with all the new sights and sounds and smells.

“Hey, Karin!” Nico waved the cub over. The young alpha’s hunched posture and pressed legs didn’t escape Nico’s notice, and she meant to give her a little pep talk. “Come on, we gotta get some ice and drinks for the cooler.” 

“We’ll help!” Ai piped up, but Nico shook her head. “No, you and Setsuna stay here and help with the umbrellas. We’ll be right back!”

Nico guided Karin over to the snack bar, where they were selling all manner of treats and cold drinks to tourists and natives alike. Nico put an arm around Karin’s shoulders while they waited in line.

“Karin-chan, stand up straight!” she said. “Come on, you’re an alpha! Stand tall! Show Ai what you’re made of!”

Karin hunched her shoulders and folded her arms over her chest in a feeble attempt to conceal her breasts. “She already knows what I’m made of,” she said. “It feels like _everyone_ is looking, not just her…”

“No one’s looking! Promise!” Nico insisted. “You’re just another girl on the beach to everyone else. No one cares what you look like! Besides, you’ve got the best of both your parents in you, I can tell. I mean, you could definitely be model material once you’re a little older.”

“Model? Me?” That seemed to fluster Karin even more.

Nico softened and gave the cub a quick little nuzzle. “I mean it! And it’s not just about looks – it’s about confidence, too. Remember when I made the cover of _Wolfy Woman_?”

 _Wolfy Woman_ was a monthly magazine aimed primarily at omega women, which featured titillating shots of both prominent and up-and-coming female alpha models. Nico won first place in the magazine’s “Hottest Alphas of Summer” contest last year by popular vote, and was immensely proud of that fact. Karin remembered the winning photo well – Nico was in her furs, posing suggestively in a swimsuit so thin and so tight that very little was left to the imagination.

“I remember,” Karin said weakly. She could never be so bold as Nico was in that lewd swimsuit.

“Karin-chan, I know it’s super weird to have your body growing and changing and stuff, but the fact of the matter is that it’s totally normal, everyone knows it’s normal, and no one is judging you for it,” Nico said. “So stand up tall, don’t be embarrassed. Alright? Don’t be afraid to show off a little bit for your mate. I guarantee you your mom’s gonna be strutting in front of your mama today. Watch her for yourself and see.”

“I’ll try,” Karin sighed. Exposing her rapidly-developing body to the public wasn’t as easy as Nico made it sound. Sure, women wore swimwear all the time, even alpha women, but Karin wasn’t a woman… yet she wasn’t a child, either. She was something in-between, at an awkward stage where the antics and innocence of a child didn’t suit her, but neither did the maturity of an adult.

When they returned with the cooler full of ice and drinks, they found that Hanayo and the other mealtime enthusiasts (that is, Rin, Honoka, and Hanamaru) were already having a picnic.

“Hanamaru-chan, don’t you want to save room for dinner?” Ruby asked as she watched her mate steadily munch her bread.

“There’s always room for dinner, zura,” was Hanamaru’s reply. She tore off half of her roll to share with Ruby.

“Hey, guys, guys!” Rin was bouncing in place like a cub. “After this, me and You decided we should have a little beach volleyball match! Muse versus Aqours!”

“I’ll cheer for you, Rin!” Hanayo said, but Rin shook her head.

“No, Kayo-chin, you’re gonna be in the game, too!”

“But I’m not good at sports like you!” Hanayo cried. “What if I mess up and we lose?!”

Rin hugged her tight. “Come on, don’t be so serious! It’s just a fun game we can play with the cubs! It doesn’t matter who wins or loses… Well, we still gotta do our best, though!”

Hanayo eventually agreed, and then Rin turned her cheery yellow gaze on Ruby.

“You’re playing, too, Ruby!”

“Eep!”

On Muse’s side of the court stood Kiyoko (who was positioned strategically at the far left to allow her the greatest field of vision), Rin, and Hanayo, and then Reine, Kasumi, and Eli. On Aqours’ side, there was You, Ruby, and Kanan, then Ayumu, Sayuri, and Ai. Nozomi waved and blew a kiss to Eli with some encouraging words.

“Take ‘em down, big wolf!”

Eli caught her kiss and flexed confidently in reply. The game began, and, while they tried to take it seriously at first, it mostly turned out to be just a big gigglefest as they struggled to keep the ball airborne. The combination of tall adults and short cubs turned out to be a hilarious one, too, especially since the youngest player was Reine, who was three years old, little more than three feet tall, and had zero understanding of volleyball or its objectives.

“Gooo Ruby-chan!” Hanamaru cheered from the sidelines. “You can do it!”

Ruby, not wanting to disappoint her mate despite the game hardly being a real game anymore, decided she was going to give the ball what for the next time it came her way. Her chance came just two volleys later, when Eli popped it high over the dinky net, above Ruby’s head. Ruby focused hard on the incoming ball, determined to make her mark on beach volleyball history. She let her furs come in, and with all the strength of the Kurosawa family in her claws, she absolutely fucking slapped that ball… off to the right, directly into the ocean.

Ai immediately collapsed, shrieking with laughter, and Rin and even Hanayo followed suit, and soon the two packs were nothing but a great giggling mess. Ruby squealed with embarrassment at her mistake, but Hanamaru hugged her and congratulated her anyway.

“You hit the ball so hard you ended the game, zura! Now that's an accomplishment!”

 

The sun sank lower, and soon it was time for everyone to return to their respective family homes and hotel rooms. Some of the cubs (namely Sayuri) had to be consoled when it was time to leave, and promised lots of fun times exploring the town tomorrow. Others, like Kanata, were already on their way to dreamland, and had to be carried back. Ayumu, the oldest cub, who was home from university for a few weeks, was delighted with little Yumi and her timidness.

“She’s so small and shy!” Ayumu cried. “I can’t believe you took in a cub, Mom, Cap. She doesn’t really _look_ like you, but with her hair color and her eye color, I think she could really be taken for your blood cub!”

You’s chest swelled with joy at that comment. “You really think so?”

Chika giggled and patted the sleepy cub’s back. Yumi spent the entire day working her hands into the soft sand, then lifting them and letting the sand roll away, and later she began to experiment with digging holes and building mounds. The water intimidated her, but she did eventually venture out and let the shallow waves wash over her feet, but only with Chika holding her hand. Now she was all tuckered out, and content to be carried back home while she dozed.

“She’s been doing great since we took her in,” Chika said. “We’ve had her about… Mm, not quite a year yet. But she’s starting to trust our alphas, and she doesn’t have fits when they get close anymore. She even lets You play with her sometimes. Right, Yumi-chan?”

Drowsy Yumi nodded. “Uh-huh,” she said in her quiet little voice. “I like Papa You. She’s grey like me.”

You gasped and stiffened at the unexpected title. “Papa You…?” That wasn’t a name that had ever been suggested or encouraged; it came straight from the cub’s mouth, a Yumi original. Chika turned to You with utter adoration in her eyes, and You thought her heart would burst. She kissed and nuzzled Chika, and then the sweet cub, and Ayumu was delighted.

“Ahh! You guys are so cute!”

Once they were back at the Takami family home and inn, it was time for dinner, but Yumi was too worn out to do anything but sleep after her bath, so Chika tucked her in and saved her a plate in case she woke up hungry later. Chika’s mother was deeply interested in where her daughter had acquired such a needy cub.

“I don’t recall you mentioning anything about having another baby!” the woman said.

“Well, long story short, her mother passed away and her father abused her, and now we’re taking care of her until she learns to function normally,” Chika explained. “It’s supposed to be temporary until she goes to live with her aunt, but honestly… I’m hoping she can actually stay with us. We’re willing to go through with a full adoption if her aunt agrees to it. I haven’t had a baby to look after since Miss College Girl over here was little!” She gave Ayumu an affectionate nudge.

“Haha! Mom!” Ayumu laughed and returned her mother’s gesture.

“By the way, ‘Miss College Girl,’” said Chika’s mother, Ayumu’s grandmother, “how’s school going for you? Made any new friends? It’s pretty different living away from your pack, huh?”

“Very different,” Ayumu replied. “But I haven’t been lonely! I actually, uh… I’ve been… kinda _seeing_ someone? I mean, not quite like that but… We hang out.”

Chika’s eyebrows shot up, and You gasped.

“Seeing someone?” You cried. “And you didn’t even tell us?”

Ayumu held up her hands. “I mean, I don’t know if it’s anything serious yet, so I didn’t know if I should tell you or not, but…” She grinned sheepishly. “She’s an alpha, her name’s Rina. She’s pretty interesting. We meet up most days to hang out and play games.”

Chika’s mother smirked. “And?”

Ayumu’s face flushed red almost instantly. “And? And what? That’s all there is to tell!”

Of course it was.

 

Setsuna was reluctant to leave her group of friends, who were all staying in the hotel, but she was also eager to spend time with her grandparents, who doted on her. Yoshiko’s mother in particular was bent on spoiling Setsuna rotten, as she was her only granddaughter. Kasumi sent Setsuna off with a kiss on her hurt cheek, which resulted in quite a few raised eyebrows, as the pair never, ever shared public affection, and thus most members of the pack were unaware of the romantic undertones in their friendship.

Setsuna’s absence wasn’t the worst part of the night for Kasumi, though. No, the worst part was having to share a room with Karin and Ai and their disgusting puppy love. The sleeping arrangement prescribed by the cubs’ parents was Karin in one bed, and the two omegas in the other bed, but, with the room to themselves, Karin and Ai obviously chose to sleep together, leaving Kasumi alone and Setsuna-less in the other bed.

It was late, but Kasumi had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places. She tossed and turned until finally settling on a decently comfortable position, but even then she found it difficult to fall asleep. Just when she thought she _might_ be able to doze off, some peculiar shuffling and shifting and smacking sounds from the other bed startled her back into wakefulness. The odd noises coupled with the musk that soon filled the room left no doubts as to what was happening just feet away, and Kasumi was mortified.

Karin and Ai were having sex, and they thought she was asleep!

Kasumi lay frozen, unsure of what she should do in such an unfortunate situation as this. She was torn between calling them out and embarrassing them (and they deserved to be embarrassed), or just waiting it out and letting it go, and keeping the dark secret forever in her heart. If she spoke up, she’d have to deal with the aftermath of being a certified cockblocker and sharing a room (and a house, back at home) with the alpha whose cock she blocked, but if she opted to say nothing and feign sleep, she’d have to listen to her friends’ soft moans and sighs and all those other awful sounds.

Kasumi turned her head slowly, taking great care to make her movement, should it be detected, seem completely natural. In the dark, she could just barely make out the shape of Karin working her hips furiously against Ai’s. It was horrific. Kasumi wanted to die. And yet, she couldn’t tear her eyes away. Why was this happening?

Just as Kasumi was coming to terms with how long of a night this was going to be, she heard Ai gasp and Karin pant and give a long, drawn-out grunt. She saw Karin lower herself back down to a more normal position, and heard some more shuffling, a couple of smacks (presumably kisses), and then… nothing. Silence. Kasumi, relieved, slowly rolled back over to face away from them and focus on falling asleep, but now she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to at all.

She was so going to give them hell for this tomorrow.

 

The cubs were safe and sound in another room, the sun was down, and the lights were dimmed. There was no work tomorrow, no alarms, no bills to pay or dinner to cook. There was only Nozomi, who was in her robe and settled in bed watching TV, and Eli, who was fresh from the shower and not so keen on keeping her own robe done up. The blonde alpha emerged from the bathroom with a smirk on her lips and a hunger in her eyes, and when Nozomi laid eyes on her, she was happy to see that the feeling was mutual.

“Get over here, you big, sexy wolf.”

Eli climbed atop her mate and gazed down at her, drinking in the gorgeous sight. The two of them had made love perhaps thousands of times over the years, and still Nozomi never failed to turn her on and to stun her with beauty that seemed only to sweeten with age. The imperfections that time and experience left on her love’s body added to her charm, and Eli loved every inch of her – her round cheeks, now marred with faint pink lines, her still-plump breasts, and her soft belly, which once housed both of their two children. 

“Nozomi…” Eli kissed her slowly, hoping to convey every ounce of her affection through her lips and her tongue.

Nozomi sighed into the kiss, and when Eli at last pulled away, Nozomi gave her a devilish grin and reached down between them to undo the sash of Eli’s robe. There she found her alpha’s hot, stiffening cock, and she gave it a tight squeeze. Eli moaned, but she pulled gently away with a shake of her head, and Nozomi gave her an inquiring look.

“Omegas first,” Eli said, and opened her mate’s own robe. She left light little kisses all over her neck, and then her collarbone, and then her breasts, until at last trailing down her tummy to settle between her legs.

Nozomi laid her head back and sighed as she enjoyed Eli’s tongue on her most delicate bits. Nozomi’s wolf knew exactly what made her tick, and when she sensed the pleasure was riding high enough, she took Nozomi’s tender pink bud between her lips and sucked, hard, until at last Nozomi’s body shook with delight.

When Nozomi’s eyes opened again, she found that her furs had come in of their own accord, and that Eli was in hers, too. She licked her lips at the sight of her mate’s earnest blue eyes and desperate red cock against her beautiful golden fur, and her pulse quickened with anticipation.

“Elicchi… I need you _now_.”

Eli felt the same. She resumed her position atop Nozomi and kissed her again, more fervently this time, and pushed herself inside her mate. Nozomi’s favorite position, even after trying practically every one possible, remained the classic alpha-on-top, because from beneath Eli, she was completely at the alpha’s mercy, and was also free to observe all of her lover’s expressions. That’s not to say they never branched out, but this was Nozomi’s go-to when she needed a good fucking, and by the gods did she ever need one tonight.

Nozomi let her sighs and moans come uninhibited as Eli pounded her relentlessly. For once she wasn’t concerned with who might hear, or who might wake up; she cared only that she was stuffed full with Eli’s cock, and that soon she’d be taking every drop of Eli’s fluid. Eli came back down to Nozomi’s level to kiss her and bury her face in her neck as she rolled and bounced her hips desperately, and Nozomi’s great moans and stiffening body and fists balled in her hair and her fur brought Eli to the edge, too.

Eli began to pant, and with several more hard, deep thrusts, she released with a mighty roar of relief and pulsing pleasure. There was so much that even after the initial blast, her body kept delivering more and more, burst by burst, and Nozomi took every last bit of it with that sexy grin of hers.

When both shifters were sufficiently calm again, Eli gave Nozomi one last smooch before pulling away, still breathless. Nozomi sat up and pushed the sweaty strands of hair away from her face and then Eli’s, still wearing that classic Nozomi smirk. But now that the lust had faded, there was only love left in her gaze.

“Elicchi… I think this is gonna be a great trip. Don’t you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i listened to a bunch of those lo-fi remix playlists while i was writing the sex scene to set the proper mood


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yet another setup/infodump chapter, thank u guys so much for reading and commenting all the time, the story is so close now to the end and it is all thanks to your support
> 
> also, i just want to share that kanan is beautiful and so god dang hot in her unidolized wedding ur

Eli and Nozomi enjoyed the years that followed with minimal stress and plenty of joy. When the first streaks of grey began to crop up in their hair, Nozomi joked that the cubs were stealing their life force. It almost seemed true, though, because Karin shot up like a weed afterward, and managed to surpass both of her parents in height. Her confidence bloomed just as much (with a little coaching from Nico), and by the age of eighteen, she carried herself much like Eli, but with the fires of young alphahood still burning hot within her. Kiyoko, too, was growing up well, and at the age of ten was already well-practiced in controlling her shifts, thanks to her more reserved nature. Eli and Nozomi were both immensely proud of the alphas their children were becoming, and they took care to cherish every moment, because the time would soon come for Karin to leave the nest, and Kiyoko, just like her older sister, would be grown up in the blink of an eye, too.

Times were happy on the Aqours side of things, too. Yumi’s first year with the pack was a grand success, and while she still preferred omega company, the presence of alphas no longer sent her into fits of panic. Playing with the younger alphas – Sayuri, Kiyoko, and Shizuku – did wonders for her tolerance, as the alpha cubs were not nearly so musky or intimidating as the grown ones. The news that her mama had passed away and couldn’t come back to be with her broke her tiny heart, and she cried many times over many days, but she expressed gratitude that Chika and Yoshiko cared for her like her “different mamas.” She insisted also that You was her “nice Papa,” and favored her above all other alphas.

Hitomi kept in touch with Yumi via letters and gifts in the mail, as well as the occasional phone call. When Hitomi got word of Yumi’s wonderful progress, she offered to come pick up Yumi and bring her home to Hakodate, where she could come to know her mother’s side of the family. Chika explained the situation to Yumi, and fought hard to keep her tears from slipping out as she packed the little one’s bags.

“But I don’t want to leave!” Yumi cried. “I’ll miss you and I’ll miss my room and Papa!”

“It’ll be good for you to know your blood family, Yumi-chan,” Chika said, though her heart ached. “And while you’re there you can go to school and meet new friends!”

Yumi wasn’t convinced; she cared only that she was about to lose yet another set of parents and all the love and security they brought with them. Her little tears at bedtime convinced Chika to pick up the phone and call Hitomi, and offer to formally adopt Yumi. Hitomi was at first resistant, because she intended from the beginning to be the main caretaker of her niece as a duty to her late sister, and it took a lot of convincing from Chika (it was begging, really) and a physical visit to Yumi before she at last agreed, though tearfully, to sign her rights over to Chika and You.

As for Kanan and Mari and their cub drama… Mari, though she agreed to scrap their standard contraceptive measures, was initially reluctant to have another child, as she was happy with their current life, and intent on joining the other couples in watching their children grow up without adding any more. Nature had other ideas, however, and Mari found herself pregnant not long after her next heat, just weeks after their trip to Uchiura. Kanan was over the moon to welcome her second blood cub, an omega they named Nanaka, to the world.

Now, at this point, Karin was eighteen years old, and was only a month away from wrapping up her high school experience and walking away with a diploma. There was a much more pressing matter at hand, though, a matter more demanding of her care and attention than even preparing to make the leap to university and semi-independence. That matter was that White Day was coming up, and, after much deliberation over the past few months, Karin had decided that a simple date, or a teddy cub, or jewelry, or even sex wasn’t going to be enough this year. No, this year, Karin had her heart set on permanently and publicly cementing her lifelong love for Ai. That is, she wanted to propose.

“Are you sure about this, baby girl?” Eli asked when Karin shared her intentions. “You’re still so young, still a child, really… You may be a full-blown alpha now, physically, but you’ve still got a lot of maturing to do, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. I just mean that when you start to get older, your mindset changes.”

“I can’t see my mind changing about her any time soon,” Karin replied. “I mean, we’ve been together all this time, practically our whole lives.”

“I don’t mean that you’ll change your mind about her,” Eli said. “I just mean that when you get older… you think differently about things, and you do things in a different way. Marriage is a big deal, and I just…” She sighed. “It’s too hard to explain until you experience it for yourself, really.”

Karin frowned stubbornly. “But Mom, what’s there to think differently about?”

Nozomi smiled at Eli’s attempts at explaining maturity and young Karin’s offense at it. Her little cub certainly had plenty more growing up to do, but Nozomi didn’t doubt for a second that Karin and Ai were destined for each other; in fact, she’d known it from the very beginning.

“I think we should let her propose,” Nozomi said, interrupting the bickering and bristling of the alphas.

Eli was displeased at her opinion having been undermined, but she supposed that was what Nozomi did best. She sat back, still frowning, but now more out of concern than irritation at Karin’s attitude. “I just want to make sure she knows what she’s getting into,” she said.

Nozomi nodded and reached over to rub Eli’s hand soothingly. “I understand, Elicchi,” she said, and made sure to back up her mate’s concerns so Karin wouldn’t get the wrong idea. “Mommy’s right, little cub, marriage _is_ a big deal, and especially so at your age. You shouldn’t rush in without thinking it through and making sure everything is in order first. There’s nothing wrong with waiting a while, either.”

“That’s right,” Eli said, “Mama and I went to school and lived together for years before we got married. Have you talked to Ai about it at all?”

“Erm, no, I haven’t,” Karin admitted. “It’s supposed to be a surprise.”

Nozomi shared a glance with Eli, one that was unreadable by their daughter. “Little cub, I think it would be best if you talked to Ai’s parents, too,” she finally said. “Mari will be happy about it no matter what, I think, but consulting them first is the respectful thing to do, and I know Kanan will appreciate it.”

Karin clasped her hands together. “So… So you’re okay with me doing this?”

“The decision is yours,” Nozomi said.

“We just want to make sure you’re being responsible,” Eli also replied.

Karin hopped up from her seat and kissed both of her parents. “Thank you, thank you, Mama, Mom! I promise I’ll talk to Kanan and Mari as soon as I can! I have to go call Setsuna now because I told her I would…”

Eli and Nozomi watched her go. It was cute, really, to see their little cub – now their big, adult-like cub – so excited, but Eli still had her reservations.

“Do you really think she’s ready?” Eli asked once Karin was safely upstairs and out of earshot.

“I don’t know,” Nozomi said. “But I do know that Karin is a smart girl, and that she and Ai are meant to be together, one way or another. Even if they don’t marry right away, I believe their love is true. That much has always been obvious to me.”

Eli had to agree. From that very first incident in grade school, in which Karin defended Ai from a bully to the best of her little alpha capabilities, up until now, with talk of university and careers and marriage, the two cubs had been inseparable. She wasn’t opposed to her little one being in love, she was simply worried that the pressure of a public, official, legal commitment might be too much for their young relationship. In the end, though, it wasn’t Eli’s decision to make, so she would just have to wait and see how things unfolded.

 

Setsuna’s Junichi woes ended with middle school, as the cubs’ chosen high school, Otonokizaka, was an all-girls school, and Junichi kept little contact with Kasumi afterward. Getting to spend her days with Kasumi without male interference was the greatest gift of Otonokizaka, but choosing that school initially had been a tough decision. Setsuna, hardworking and studious alpha that she was, was also accepted to UTX, as well as every other school she applied to, and she was determined to choose the most favorable one and make an impressive mark when the time eventually came for university applications.

Karin and Kasumi obviously chose the school of their parents, and Ai followed them, insistent on staying with Karin and keeping their pack together. Setsuna was left to decide if she wished to join them or if another school would better suit her goals, and in the end, she was swayed by sentimentality and a peek at the impressive academic records of Eli and Umi, as well as the fact that Riri once attended Otonoki, if briefly.

Now, Setsuna found herself in a similar predicament, but this time with universities rather than high schools, and with little chance of avoiding a pack breakup. After all, the cubs had different personal goals and interests, and those would take them along unfortunately different paths. Kasumi chose a culinary school close to home so she could remain with her birth pack. Karin was yet undecided, but she was already seeing success modeling for teen magazines and other minor advertisements, and wasn’t terribly concerned about her career trajectory. As for Ai, well…

“I haven’t told Karin yet,” Ai was saying. “I just know she’ll be upset. Well, I’ll be upset, too, but… But my mama did the same thing, you know? She studied there, and it’ll look good on me to go there, too. Besides…” She grinned and pointed to her shirt, one of her favorites, a bright orange one with “MADE IN ITALY” printed on the front. “It’s my heritage, too!”

The shirt, which was a gift from Mari, was not actually about heritage per se, but where Ai was literally, physically made. Ai didn’t know that, of course, but Yoshiko felt compelled to share that little tidbit of information with Setsuna after overhearing the cubs’ discussion about it. Setsuna wished she never knew.

“I’m not really looking forward to everyone going in different directions,” Setsuna said as she sank down onto Ai’s bed. “I know we have to. But I don’t know what I’ll do with myself without all of you!”

“Man, me too,” Ai agreed. “By the way, did you decide on a school yet? I know Kasumi is staying in Tokyo.”

Setsuna nodded. “I wanted to stay close to her, but in the end I think it’d be better for me to attend-” She was interrupted by her phone blasting an anime tune, and she fumbled to answer and silence it while Ai laughed. “H-hello?! Karin?”

“Setsuna! I just got done telling my parents about you-know-what,” Karin said. “I’m gonna come over tomorrow to talk to…”

Setsuna's heart began to pound when Ai pressed her ear close, eager to hear what her mate was saying. Setsuna, desperate to preserve Karin’s secret plans, rolled over so that the phone was between her head and the bed, which only piqued Ai’s interest further.

“Hey! What are you guys talking about?” Ai demanded. “It must be some top-secret stuff! Come on! Let me listen!”

“K-Karin, let’s talk about this later,” Setsuna cried. “I’ll call you back!” She ended the call before Karin could reply and before Ai could swipe the phone away.

“You guys are planning something, huh?” Ai regarded Setsuna with those sly Mari eyes, and while Setsuna tried to play it cool, she wasn’t very good at it. “What could it be? The only thing coming up is… graduation? And then, uh… No, wait! White Day?!”

“No, nothing like that…” Setsuna said, but her voice faltered and her eyes darted about, and Ai knew she had her.

“A-ha! It’s a White Day surprise!” Ai giggled and fell back onto the bed. “Oh boy! Karin’s gonna have to do something pretty drastic to top my Valentine’s present this year.”

“Trust me, Ai, you’re gonna love it,” Setsuna said, and she was certain of that. It was just that there were complications involved, namely the matter of Ai studying overseas and Karin presumably remaining in Tokyo, and also the simple fact that they were _young_. Would Kanan and Mari even approve? There was a lot of ground to cover, and Setsuna didn’t want to spoil the surprise, so she left Ai to ponder the possibilities while she went to call Karin privately.

“Why don’t we meet up and go to the park or something?” Setsuna suggested once they were back on the phone.

“Okay, I’ll meet you at the corner,” Karin replied.

The two alphas (and a third, Kiyoko, who insisted on tagging along) met at the intersection of Muse and Aqours’ streets, as always, and headed into town from there. The late February air was still chilly, and all three girls found themselves pushing out their fur to keep warm.

“I think I’ve saved up enough now to get her a nice ring,” Karin said. “I mean, obviously I don’t have as much money as your family, and she could probably get _me_ a nicer ring, but… You think she’ll say yes, don’t you?”

“Of course she will!” Setsuna said. “Don’t doubt yourself, Karin. It’s not about the money or fancy rings. It’s about you and her.” Of course, the knowledge that Ai would be gone to Italy in autumn gnawed at her, and she debated just spilling the news to Karin now, but she figured it would be better straight out of Ai’s mouth rather than secondhand from hers.

“I’d be shocked if she said no,” Kiyoko said. “I think she must love you as much as Mama loves Mommy. Actually, when we were little, Sayuri said she heard you two talking about marriage plans, and she said she wanted to be in the wedding!”

Karin’s ears twitched and her tail swished at the mention of her embarrassing younger self. “Well, we were just kids then,” she said. “But… I mean, I suppose the sentiment is the same. Just now it’s for real.”

“What about school, though?” Kiyoko asked. “What if you get married but then you go to different colleges? Can you still be married if you live apart?”

“Of course you can,” Karin replied. “But I don’t think we have to worry about that. Last I checked, she was set on a school around here, so we can stay close to each other.”

Setsuna’s tail began to swish back and forth with anxiety. It was a cruelty to keep this secret from Karin, but she didn’t want to make Ai angry or break her trust. She didn’t even realize how much she’d hunched over or how quickly her tail was moving until Karin mentioned it.

“Are you alright, Setsuna?” the taller alpha asked.

“Er, I’m fine, just cold,” Setsuna lied.

“My eye is cold, too,” Kiyoko added, and closed her left eye over the freezing glass.

“Oh… Do you want to go home already?” Karin asked them. “We just got here.”

“Let’s go to Homura!” Kiyoko said. “It’s warm, and we can get candy!”

All agreed on that, and so the trio headed for the Kousaka family shop. This was a secret delight to Setsuna, because Kasumi always worked Tuesday nights and Thursday nights, and it just so happened to be a Thursday night. One would assume that the passage of time and their inevitable graduation and journey to adulthood would bring some clarity, some forwardness to their relationship, but one would assume incorrectly. Kasumi was as vague a lover as ever, it was just that her vague affections were for Setsuna’s enjoyment only.

“We’re about to close up shop, losers,” was Kasumi’s warm greeting. She eyed Setsuna just a second or two longer than the Ayase sisters, clearly approving of the wild, furry look.

While Kiyoko and Karin pestered Honoka for some “free samples,” Kasumi gestured for Setsuna to follow her while she tidied up. The shop was small, of course, so it wasn’t as though they had much privacy, but Setsuna was almost certain that Kasumi got her kicks from saying shameless things just out of earshot of her parents.

“So? What’s with the fur?” Kasumi asked while she swept the front rug. “Have you finally decided to come make an honest omega out of me?”

“What?!” Setsuna glanced at Honoka, and was relieved to see that she was too busy chatting with Karin and Kiyoko to overhear her daughter’s ridiculous question. “We were _cold_ , Kasumi! We’re not just walking around in rut…”

“Karin’s obviously not,” Kasumi said. “And Kiyoko’s too young. But you… You sure you’re just cold? You’re not hot for me?”

“Kasumi, please…”

Of course, Setsuna was _always_ hot for Kasumi, though she’d never admit such a thing out loud. She had a habit of relieving her baser alpha urges to the mental image of her omega friend, most often when she was engrossed in a steamy doujinshi or fanfiction and couldn’t help but imagine herself and Kasumi in the same situation. Kasumi’s hands, in real life, had been under Setsuna’s skirt numerous times, but only long enough to tease, and certainly not long enough for Setsuna to say she had any experience. Despite Kasumi’s endless suggestions and Karin’s encouragement, Setsuna still lacked intimate knowledge of an omega.

“Setsuna-chan! Kasukasu!” Karin called from the opposite side of the room. “Quit flirting! We’re ready to go!” She shook her new bag of sweets for emphasis while Kiyoko giggled.

Setsuna, as always, reddened at Karin’s teasing. She quickly shared scents with Kasumi, noting the unusual hints of musky sweetness, and recognized that as her rising heat. Setsuna had never been in the presence of Kasumi’s actual heat, as the omega always went home right away when she sensed it was close, but Setsuna could only imagine what she must look and smell like in her full-blown heat. The thought sent a warm, tingling pressure to her cock.

“Uh, Setsuna?” Kiyoko was standing awfully close now, with her head cocked. “Are you okay? You’re making a weird face.”

“N-no I’m not,” Setsuna insisted, flustered at having been caught fantasizing. “Let’s go home now.”

So they said goodbye to Honoka and Kasumi (reluctantly on Setsuna’s part) and headed for home, once again in their furs. Karin rummaged through her bag of sweets excitedly, hunting for her favorite flavor.

“I’ll share some of these with Ai tomorrow,” Karin said. “Couldn’t hurt to butter her up a bit, right? Hehe!”

Setsuna sighed. With all those red-hot thoughts of Kasumi, she’d nearly forgotten that Karin was about to have her heart obliterated by Ai, not due to a rejection, but because Ai was going overseas. Setsuna was agonizing about being apart from Kasumi, but they’d be a few hours away from each other at most, and could visit regularly. How a love could survive over thousands of miles and multiple years, she wasn’t certain. There was also the possibility of Ai throwing out her educational and career opportunities to stay in Japan and marry Karin, which brought with it another unique problem, namely her parents’ approval.

“Tomorrow after school I’m gonna stop in town and get a ring, then come by and talk to Kanan and Mari,” Karin said. “I’ve been doing a little, uh, window-shopping? And I’ve got a few affordable ones in mind. You’ll cover for me, won’t you, Setsuna?”

“Of course I will.”

Setsuna’s cock was now small and soft and sad with all these secrets swirling about in her brain. She _really_ didn’t want to be there when Ai broke the news, and she had half a mind to go and pay Kasumi a hot visit in the Muse “apartment” tomorrow instead. Perhaps she would, if she could find the courage.

 

Hanamaru had never been one for the alphas, not really. They were rowdy, and musky, and had those ugly _things_ dangling between their legs. No, Hanamaru much preferred the serene beauty and sweet scents of omegas, and to catch one in the midst of her heat was to die for. She married her best friend, Ruby, and, knowing that Ruby was a fair bit more alpha-inclined than herself, did her best to satisfy her emotionally as well as sexually. Theirs was a happy and loving marriage.

It was an interesting development, then, when Dia started dating Sarah, and Sarah’s sister, Leah, started coming around. Hanamaru had always feared that a sexy alpha might one day come and steal her sweet Ruby away, and Leah presented the perfect threat. She was aloof, she was strong, and, most importantly, she was a single alpha eager to claim a mate. Hanamaru hated the way Leah looked at Ruby, and often made threatening alpha postures at her to scare her off. Of course, no alpha in their right mind would be threatened by an alpha-posturing omega, not without the musk and the muscle and the cock to back it up. Someone like Yoshiko might have had the muscle, but Hanamaru was just Hanamaru, small and weak and rather pudgy.

Things didn’t go quite as Maru anticipated. Actually, she felt herself growing close to Leah, too, in a purely platonic manner. And the deeper their friendship ran, the less she was threatened by Leah’s alpha ways, and the more appealing it became to experiment with Ruby in the bedroom. Ruby, despite her deep love for Hanamaru, was clearly attracted to Leah, after all, and it couldn’t hurt to let her experience a trusted alpha, right?

That’s exactly what they did.

The idea at first made Hanamaru jealous, but once that bond of friendly love and trust was established with Leah, she felt confident. Watching forever-innocent Ruby get mercilessly pounded by a rough, rutting alpha was surprisingly arousing, and it was plain that Ruby and Leah enjoyed the session just as much. Those meetups became a regular activity for the trio, though Ruby always felt the need to reiterate her affection for Hanamaru afterward, and indeed seemed to still prefer her lifelong mate above all else. That much was a relief.

One day, the same day that Karin was to visit and discuss marriage with Kanan and Mari, Ruby was ill. Hanamaru tried to rouse her, as they were supposed to meet Dia, Sarah, and Leah for lunch, but Ruby only budged when she sprang from the bed to go and vomit.

“I can’t believe I’m sick,” Ruby groaned. “Of all days, too…” She crawled miserably back to her bed while Hanamaru fetched her some water.

“It can’t be helped, zura,” Hanamaru said when she delivered the water. “We’ll just have to tell them we can’t make it today. Want me to bring you some breakfast?”

“I guess so.”

Hanamaru went downstairs, where Riko and Yoshiko were busy cleaning up the table. Breakfast, it seemed, was already over, but Hanamaru made a plate for Ruby with the leftovers, for once deciding that she could miss out on Mari’s cooking in favor of feeding her sick mate. Ruby recoiled when Hanamaru returned to their bedroom with the meal, and covered her nose.

“I can’t, Hanamaru-chan,” Ruby squeaked.

“Can’t what?” Hanamaru stared, confused, before she realized Ruby meant the smell of the food. What was wrong with the smell? It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for one of the pack’s meals. It was when Hanamaru was returning the plate to the fridge that she realized there was probably something a bit more serious at play here than a simple tummy upset.

Ruby most often had her heats two months apart. That was how it’d always been, and Hanamaru could only think of a few exceptions, and those were mostly due to either illness or suppressant use. The last time she remembered Ruby having her heat was… in November, the weekend of Rin’s birthday party. Ruby had quietly excused herself from the festivities (even at the age of 42 Rin was still fond of explosive birthday parties with friends), and Hanamaru had shared a knowing look with Leah, during which they telepathically communicated that they ought to go relieve Ruby. Perhaps it was the fact that their packmates were so close by and yet completely unaware that made that triple mating so sexy and so memorable.

Now, though… It was late February (as the television informed her from the living room), and Hanamaru could not recall Ruby going through heat any time in the last two months. That knowledge coupled with Ruby’s nausea and her tiredness over the last few days made Hanamaru’s fur poof out with worry. Without first consulting anyone else, Hanamaru borrowed Riko’s car and took herself to the drugstore and back as fast as the law would allow.

“Ruby! Wake up!”

Ruby nearly jumped out of her skin when Hanamaru burst back into the room. She was still in the bed, though she wouldn’t admit to falling asleep after Hanamaru left. Maru was insistent on the truth, though, and then shoved a package into her hands.

“Ruby, you need to use this,” Hanamaru said.

“What is it?” Ruby turned the box over in her hands, and was alarmed to find that it was a home pregnancy test. “Hanamaru, you don’t think…”

“I do think, zura,” Hanamaru replied. “Please take it, Ruby. You didn’t have a heat this month or last month, so I’m worried. Zura…” She pressed her face close, left a tiny kiss on Ruby’s neck, and then inhaled her mate’s scent. As suspected, her scent was tinged with just the faintest hint of soothing sweetness, not nearly enough for anyone to notice in the everyday… not yet, at least.

Ruby spent several minutes in the bathroom, and the surprised yelp that followed confirmed Hanamaru’s suspicions. Ruby emerged holding the accursed test stick with trembling hands. Hanamaru had a look, just to be sure, and was greeted with the sight of the positive symbol. She took the tearful Ruby into her arms and held her tight, hoping to hug away some of her mate’s fear.

“What do we do, Maru-chan?” Ruby asked, her voice muffled by Hanamaru’s shoulder. “I’m scared…”

Truthfully, Hanamaru was scared, too. She never anticipated having any children, as she found enough joy just in her mate, and in her career, and in the cubs of her packmates, yet here she was, holding newly-pregnant Ruby and pondering the future. She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the fact that the cub was not hers, and could not be hers, but she supposed it couldn’t be helped. They were going to have to tell Leah, and worse, they were going to have to tell Dia, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw whatever happened to that cereal called alpha bits
> 
> ETA: people want timelines and family trees, so i present to you the muse and aqours family trees. i'll add the event timeline next time bc i am currently supposed to be asleep. OCs are represented by shiitake and friends  
> [Muse Tree](https://i.imgur.com/iZXLylM.png)  
> [Aqours Tree](https://i.imgur.com/gQVwhyZ.png)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a slog to write, it's like everyone's having feelings and stuff but nothing is HAPPENING yet... either way i hope u like it, and thanks always for reading and commenting yall make me feel like a STAR i love you
> 
> also i got a riko nesoberi the other day and she's beautiful

School went well the next day, though with graduation so close, Karin found it little more than a stale, boring chore. Besides that, she had little attention to spare for school activities when the anxiety of speaking with Kanan and Mari was boiling in her tummy. Every time she looked at Ai, or every time Ai would flash her that great big smile, Karin was hit with a fresh wave of jitters. Her mate seemed to pick up on her unease, and tried to get to the bottom of things when it was time to go home.

“You sure you’re okay, Karin?” Ai asked. “You’ve been, like… jumpy and fidgety all day. We’ll wait for you if you need to use the bathroom, you know.”

“Ahh, it’s nothing like that,” Karin said. “I’m just, uh, nervous about a shoot this weekend. Nico kinda sprung it on me, so yeah.”

Ai frowned at that. Karin, though she might have been convincing to anyone else, could never slip a lie past Ai. “But you told me at lunch that you wanted me to sleep over so we could hang out all day tomorrow. Now you suddenly have a shoot?”

“Err, um… Okay, fine, I don’t actually have a shoot,” Karin said. She put an arm around her mate and drew her closer, then pressed a kiss to her temple. “It’s not something I can tell you in front of anyone else, so… Promise I’ll tell you when we’re alone.” She let her tone drop a bit to provide sexual suggestion, and hopefully distract Ai from her too-obvious tension.

Ai gave her a sly and very interested smile. “Alright, alright,” she said, “but I won’t forget! I’ve got some stuff to tell you, too, so we can have a little secret party tonight!”

The couple spent the walk home pressed close together and sharing nuzzles and touches that had Setsuna, who was walking behind them, burning with envy. Kasumi was absent today, as her heat struck her in the middle of the night, and Setsuna had spent the better part of the day imagining what she must be doing alone in the heat shed. Those thoughts saw her through the more mundane parts of the school day (as a third year, there wasn’t much left for her to do academically so close to graduation).

“Hey, Setsuna! Are you moping back there?”

Setsuna was startled out of her thoughts by Ai’s call. She looked up to see her two friends grinning fiendishly at her and gesturing for her to join them. She sped up and took her place on Karin’s other side, blushing at having been caught.

“You’re thinking about Kasumi, huh?” Ai said.

“Well, I mean…” Setsuna shrugged. There was no point in denying it, she supposed, but it’s not like she wanted to admit to having lewd fantasies about their missing packmate.

“Come ooon!” Ai reached over to shove Setsuna playfully. “I know you’re thinking about her! Look, you’re a responsible alpha! I say you should go for it! Right, Karin?”

Karin nodded. “I say so, too! You two have been getting on my nerves since we were kids with your weird arm’s-length relationship. I think you should tell her how you feel.”

Setsuna’s fur began to ruffle with all this embarrassing attention. “Well… I suppose I could tell her outright. But don’t you think it’s a little crude to confess while she’s in heat?”

Karin and Ai shared a smug look. “Consider it an icebreaker,” Karin said. “I mean, it’s obvious to everyone that you like each other. Be bold, Setsuna! The only one who’s not admitting it is you.”

That was the truth. Karin’s own relationship with Ai blossomed only after Karin made the daring and rather irresponsible decision to visit Ai while she was in her heat. That first mating effectively brought down any mental blocks or barriers that were preventing them from furthering their relationship. The same could be true for Setsuna, too, but _only_ if she acted. That was her problem – despite her closeness to Kasumi, she was too struck with shyness and insecurity to even act in the first place.

Setsuna was an alpha, but she’d never experienced the uncontrollable lust and violence of the rut, and instead remained level-headed and responsible no matter how horny she was. That in itself was a gift, but tales of Riko’s rash teenage behavior and Chika’s subsequent pregnancy at the age of 16 only cemented her cautious ways. It was the same caution that kept Setsuna’s head on straight that also contributed to her lack of intimacy, which in turn fed into her feelings of inferiority as an alpha.

“Oh, I just remembered something,” Karin said once they reached the intersection of their streets. “Mama asked me to pick some things up for dinner tonight. You two can head on over to my house when you’re ready. I’ll be back in a little bit.”

“Want me to come?” Ai asked. “Surely you don’t wanna carry it all home by yourself?”

“It’ll be fine, it’s just a few things,” Karin assured her. “I’ll meet you back at my house, okay?” As she turned to leave, she clapped Setsuna on the shoulder and gave her a good shake. “Text me.”

Setsuna and Ai headed for home first, where the younger cubs were already home and playing. Dia and Ruby seemed to be getting ready to go out, and there was a slight tang of fear in the air. Ai gave Ruby a gentle nudge.

“What’s wrong, Aunt Ruby?” she asked. “You smell scared.”

“I’m taking her to the doctor,” Dia replied before Ruby could speak. “She’s been sick and exhausted for a few days too many.”

Ruby was quick to agree. “Ah, that’s right, I just have to go to the doctor,” she said. “You know me and doctors… I’m not really a fan of all the needles and stuff.”

“Aww, don’t worry! Just sing a song if they have to take your blood or give you a shot!” Ai said. “That’ll keep you from getting faint and distract you from the pain. I know, because I do it all the time!” She pulled her little aunt Ruby into a hug, nuzzling her happily, and there she caught the faint, sweet scent of something else. “Say… Aunt Ruby? You also smell kinda like-”

“We better get going,” Dia interrupted. “The appointment is at 4:30, and we still have to get there.”

“Oh, fine! See ya later!” Ai released Ruby, and waved goodbye to her aunts. If she wasn’t mistaken, Ruby’s scent was just lightly laced with the gentle sweetness of pregnancy, something Ai recognized from her own mother’s past pregnancies. That was rather odd, considering Ruby’s mate, Hanamaru, was an omega. Unless…

“Sissy!”

Ai was pulled from her thoughts of a Ruby scandal by her baby sister’s delighted squeal. Little Nanaka was three years old and quite the handful, just as Ai and Sayuri were before her. That was just the sort of child that Mari produced, it seemed. Ai swept up the little blue cub, spun her around, and kissed her all over.

“Banana-chan! I missed you!” Ai cried, and finally settled the cub on her hip. “Where’s Mama today? Is she upstairs?”

“Uh-huh! Mama’s working!” Nanaka said.

Ai climbed the stairs with her baby sister still clinging to her, and knocked lightly on her parents’ bedroom door.

“Knock-knock, Mama! It’s me and Banana-chan!”

Mari was at her computer, clicking and typing away, no doubt responding to one of the many company emails that stuffed her inbox full. On rare occasions, Mari would go out into the field to work and check up on the state of her family’s company, but for the most part she managed just fine working from home while her children were at school, or while Nanaka was down for a nap or busy playing with Yoshiko. Mari made it a point, per Kanan’s advice, to never let on to the cubs just how wealthy the family actually was, so as not to give them a big head. Ai was older now, though, and learning more about business management, as well as personal finance, from her mother, and was set to start working for the company in the next few years.

“Hi, my darling cubs,” Mari said as she turned from the screen and opened her arms up to take Nanaka. “How was school today? Did you tell Karin about your plans yet?”

Ai passed Nanaka to her mother and shuffled her feet uncomfortably. “No, not yet… But I’m going to! Tonight! I’m gonna stay over at her place tonight if that’s okay with you, Mama.”

“That’s fine with me,” Mari replied. “Just make sure you tell her soon. She’ll be more upset if you wait than if you just tell her now.”

Nanaka tugged at the collar of Mari’s blouse, eager to get at her mother’s breasts so she could nurse, but Mari swatted her little hands away. Nanaka whined loudly at this.

“Mamaaaa! I want milky!”

“No milky until bedtime,” Mari replied, and thwarted several more of the cub’s attempts until at last Ai snatched the little one away again. Nanaka growled at this betrayal, but it was cuter than it was intimidating.

“You used to be like that, too, you know,” Mari said as they made their way back down the stairs, with Nanaka growling and whining all the way. “You used to get so upset and cry, and then Papa would make me feed you because she felt bad, and then I ended up not weaning you until you were almost five…”

Ai laughed aloud at that. “Oh man, I vaguely remember some of that! Hahaha! That’s so like Papa!”

Mari swiped playfully at her. “ _Rotten cub_! Easy to laugh when it’s not happening to you!”

Once Ai helped Mari get Nanaka settled down with a sippy and a blanket, she sought out Setsuna, who was primping herself in the bathroom mirror. The nervous tension was plain in the alpha’s face and in her posture, and Ai couldn’t help but smile at the sweet purity of it.

“You ready to go?” Ai asked.

“Just about, yes,” Setsuna replied. “Do I look okay? Do I smell?”

“You’re fine!” Ai assured her, and clapped her on the back. “You don’t have to worry about that. Even if your hair wasn’t perfect, I doubt Kasumi would care. She’s gonna mess it up, anyway!”

Ai cackled at the red that bloomed in Setsuna’s cheeks after that remark. The pair of them kissed their mothers goodbye (and in Ai’s case, her father, too, who arrived home just as they were leaving), with Setsuna promising to be home by 10 o’clock, and Ai by dinnertime tomorrow. Setsuna sent a quick, discreet text to Karin as they left the house, informing her that they were leaving and that Kanan was already home.

Karin walked back to the Aqours home by way of a different street, so as not to run into her friends on the way. This was a secret operation, after all. She couldn’t keep her tummy from tightening and fluttering all the way there as she imagined every possible scenario to come. She wasn’t so worried about Mari, as Mari was easygoing and understanding. No, Karin’s main concern was Kanan, who had spent the five years since Karin’s first mating with Ai posturing aggressively, showing off her strength and size, and purposely re-scenting Karin’s markers, likely in an attempt to establish herself as the boss and dissuade Karin from naughty behavior. It had been Karin’s secret delight, then, when she grew up to be just a smidge taller than her mate’s threatening father.

Karin at last reached the house and pressed the doorbell, and her heart thudded wildly in her chest while she waited for an answer. When she heard the lock click, she suddenly decided that it wouldn’t do to make her proposal as a shaky, sweaty alpha. No, she needed to be confident, and determined, and everything Ai needed her to be as a forever mate. She straightened up quickly when the door came open, and put on her best smile despite the mad pumping of her heart and the tingles in her fingers.

“Karin?” It was Yoshiko who answered the door. “Uh? Didn’t Setsuna and Ai just go to your house?” She strained to see past Karin and look for her daughter and Ai, but it seemed Karin was alone.

“They did,” Karin replied. “I needed Ai out of the house while I talk to her parents privately. Are Kanan and Mari around?”

Yoshiko stared blankly. “Oh, no. Did you knock her up?”

Karin couldn’t help her fur shooting out at that comment. “N-no! It’s nothing like that!” She quickly retracted her pesky fur and straightened up once again. “I just need to talk to them about, um… something. Please?”

So Yoshiko invited her in and sat her down, and soon she was face-to-face with Kanan and Mari. She tried her best to keep a confident air about her, but faltered when she met Kanan’s stone eyes. The big blue alpha was the picture of dominance, with her arms and legs spread out comfortably over the couch, and her gaze unflinching in the face of young, green Karin. Karin swallowed thickly and attempted to explain herself.

“So, Kanan-san, Mari-san… There’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while,” she said. “It’s about Ai.”

Kanan nodded slowly. “Go on…”

Karin felt her skin prickle as the moment was at last upon her. She tried to tell herself, mentally, that she wasn’t asking for _permission_ to marry Ai, she was simply making her intentions known to the people most important to her mate. The ever-so-slight narrowing of Kanan’s eyes, however, made her feel otherwise. She moved her gaze to Mari, who looked genuinely curious, and not at all hostile. It was easier to look at her, but Karin felt that might be cowardly, so she alternated eye contact between the two while she spoke.

“Well, you know that Ai and I have been together for a long time, as friends and as mates,” Karin said. “You know that I love her. And lately I’ve been thinking that… That I want to commit to her completely. I want to marry her.”

Mari gasped, and even Kanan’s hardened expression slipped into one of surprise.

“ _Oh my god_! Karin-chan!” Mari was practically howling with delight at this news. “ _So adorable_! The little cubs are growing up!”

Kanan’s stone face didn’t return. She still regarded Karin sternly, but this was more out of concern than her earlier, almost childish aggression. “Karin, you… I know I give you a hard time, but that’s just because I don’t want you to forget who you’re dealing with. But I know that Ai loves you, and that you’ve been a faithful friend and mate to her. I’ve watched you grow up, too, you know, and… I’d be happy to call you my daughter-in-law. Really! Don’t look so surprised! There is one problem, though, and because of it I can tell you haven’t talked to Ai about your plans.”

“Thank you, Kanan-san.” It felt good to be praised by Kanan and to be blessed with her approval, but news of a problem delayed her inner celebrations. “W-what’s the problem? I haven’t talked to her because I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Kanan looked to Mari, who nodded and smoothed her skirt over her knees while she fished for the words. “Karin-chan, I’m so happy that you want to marry Ai. I’m so, so… _happy_! And I’m sure you and your friends have been thinking about what else to do after high school. Ai got a very big offer recently, and I think you might want to talk to her about that, and about your hopes to marry. I’d tell you what’s going on, but it’s better that you hear it from her directly. Just know that you have our support!”

“Think about what’s best for both of you,” Kanan said. “Don’t just rush into a decision.”

Karin left the Aqours home in perhaps lower and more jittery spirits than even when she first arrived. Ai’s parents were acting awfully cryptic, and it set her stomach to twisting again. Whatever the mysterious “problem” was was most likely also the thing that Ai mentioned wanting to discuss.

Ai was dressed comfortably and playing a board game with the younger cubs when Karin arrived home. Nozomi and Rin were in the kitchen prepping for dinner, and Nico was napping on the couch. Everyone else was still away at work, it seemed, and Kasumi was out in the apartment. It made for a quiet afternoon, barring Reine’s occasional shrieks of outrage at losing the board game. Karin kissed her mother and shared scents with Rin, then hung up her coat and joined the cubs at the cozy kotatsu.

“Karin! You took forever!” Ai said as she scooted over to make space for her mate. She gave her a great big smooch, but went right back to her game after, determined not to let Karin’s appearance and affection get in the way of her victory. “Alright! Prepare to die, Kanata!”

Ai didn’t seem to notice Karin’s tension, and Karin was thankful for that. The omega’s sweet, chipper scent worked to ease Karin’s frazzled nerves, and watching her play with the younger pack members was a treat, too. Ai had always had a knack for cubs, and Karin sometimes imagined what it would be like to one day raise a family with her.

The remaining members of the Muse pack trickled in one by one, and by the time everyone was home, it was time for dinner. Playing with Ai and Kiyoko and her other, younger packmates eased Karin’s nerves a little, though she still found herself too wound up to eat well. Nozomi picked up on that (naturally – she was her mother, after all), and decided to probe her.

“Little cub,” Nozomi said, “you haven’t eaten much at all. Are you feeling sick?”

Karin didn’t miss the devious glint in her mother’s eyes. “Ah, no, it’s nothing, Mama. I just… had a big lunch.”

“That reminds me,” Honoka said, interrupting any more of Nozomi’s subtle teasing, “I should take some food out to Kasumi in a minute. She must be hungry by now!”

Both Karin and Ai stiffened noticeably. If Honoka ventured out to the apartment, Setsuna’s once-in-a-lifetime chance at getting Kasumi booty would be snatched away. Karin began to cough, and Ai spoke up quickly.

“Aaactually, Honoka-san, Kasumi, uh, texted me before dinner and told me she wasn’t hungry,” Ai said. “She said she was going to sleep, and to save her some for tomorrow.”

“Really? She said that?” Honoka sat back, a thoughtful look on her face. “Oh, my poor Kasumin. Must be a really rough heat, she never turns down dinner. I’ll make her something special for breakfast, then.”

After the meal, Karin and Ai headed upstairs together, and Karin drew a bath for her mate. She made it special, with salts and scents and bubbles, but Ai entered the bathroom and before she could leave and insisted that Karin join her. Karin could hardly say no to a cute face backed up by a sexy body, and so she found herself soaking in her special bath alongside Ai.

“Too bad we don’t have any, like, champagne or something,” Ai was saying. “That’s what Mama drinks when she takes a fancy bath.”

Karin shifted a little closer at the mention of Ai’s mama. Now that the pair of them were warm and relaxed in the bath, it’d be a good time to figure out Ai’s secret. “Ai-chan, weren’t you going to tell me something important earlier?”

“Oh, right.” Ai’s happy face dropped visibly, and she stared off at the mountain of bubbles she’d created. “Karin, you’ll love me forever, right?”

“I hope so.” Karin didn’t much like that opener. “What’s wrong?”

Ai sank deeper into the water and shut her eyes. “Mm, well… A little while ago I applied to the same business school that Mama went to. I didn’t think I’d get in, but… Thanks to my family’s prestige and history of attendance, I’ve been offered a full ride.” She reopened her eyes and gazed up at Karin. “I’m going to Italy in the fall, Karin-chan.”

“Oh…” Karin’s heart clenched as the implications of the news crashed down heavy upon her. How could Ai be her bride if she was moving to Italy? Perhaps even more pressing, how was Karin to survive for years without her best friend, the omega she’d loved for so long? “But I don’t want you to go.”

Ai’s heart shattered at the crack in her alpha’s voice, and she threw her arms around her. “ _Please_ don’t cry, Karin,” she said as she stroked the fur that was starting to come in on Karin’s back. “I know I should’ve told you sooner, but… I don’t know. I just couldn’t.”

Karin buried her face in Ai’s damp shoulder as her tears came uncontrollably. It was embarrassing to lose her composure like this, but she really hadn’t expected this. “What about our plans, though?” she asked when at last her throat stopped convulsing enough for her to speak. “We were supposed to go to school together, and live together, and…”

“I know, I know.” Ai pulled away to cup Karin’s face in her hands. “This is something my mama and papa had to deal with, too. I can’t just throw this away, Karin-chan. It’s not just important for my future, but yours, too. What if we have cubs one day? I wanna make sure I can provide for them no matter what, like Mama did for me.” She pressed a tender kiss to Karin’s lips. “It’s not like we’re breaking up or anything. We just have to be apart for a while.”

Once they were clean and dried, and Karin’s tears stopped flowing, the couple returned to Karin’s room, where they put on a movie and kept warm by cuddling under the blanket. Ai seemed to be nodding off, so Karin shut the little TV off and drew the blankets tighter about them. Every second felt infinitely more precious to Karin with Ai’s departure now on the horizon. The news certainly threw a wrench in her happy marriage plans, and that wrench would possibly be stuck there for _years_ before Karin’s fantasy could at last materialize.

This was going to require a bit more thought than originally planned, and Karin resolved to consult her mother and her cards for answers tomorrow.

 

The ride to the doctor’s office was spent in agonizing silence. Ruby watched the city pass them by through the car window, but occasionally she’d glance at her older sister in the driver’s seat. Dia looked frighteningly frosty about it all, and Ruby wondered if she was angry with her. They were sisters, and Ruby loved her, but it was really none of Dia’s business what Ruby chose to do with her friends, right? Then again, Dia had always been overly concerned with Ruby’s habits and activities, as she felt that was her responsibility as a big alpha sister. They were grown women now, though, so Ruby expected a bit more privacy in her personal life, and besides that, Dia wasn’t one to talk, not with matters like this one.

The appointment went well. The doctor confirmed that Ruby was, in fact, pregnant, and in her third month, just as Hanamaru suspected. It wasn’t really a surprise anymore, but Ruby still felt rather numb. She hadn’t intended for things to get this out of hand; her _activities_ with Leah were meant to be part of a simple fling, an experiment, something fun and naughty to do with Hanamaru… And now here she was, with Leah’s cub beginning to grow in her belly. It was hard to choke her worried tears back, and Dia spoke sternly with her on the ride home.

“Ruby,” Dia said, “do you still love Hanamaru?”

“Of course I love her!” Ruby cried. “Why wouldn’t I? She’s been my mate since forever.”

“What about Leah?”

Ruby hesitated. “Leah is… my friend. We’re close, and I think she’s… attractive, but I don’t love her the same way I love Hanamaru.” She wiped her damp eyes and fiddled with the buttons of her coat. “It wasn’t supposed to go like this.”

Dia didn’t look at her, and instead kept her eyes firmly on the road. “If you love Hanamaru and want to keep your marriage intact, I’d suggest thinking long and hard about what to do next.” When Ruby didn’t reply, she continued. “I’m serious. It’s not worth ruining your relationship with Hanamaru and your friendship with Leah. I would know. It hasn’t been the same between Kanan and me since then, you know.”

Ruby bowed her head, and folded her hands over her stomach. “You’d trade Sayuri away?”

Dia finally glanced over at Ruby with a shocked expression. “No, never! I didn’t mean it like that,” she said. “I just mean that… You should be prepared for things to change between you and Leah now, and possibly you and Hanamaru, too. And, this is just my opinion, but you should prioritize your marriage first and foremost. Maru doesn’t deserve to be left in the dust, and the child deserves stability.”

“You’re right,” Ruby said. “But… don’t you think the baby should know her real father, too?”

“Of course,” Dia replied without hesitation. It would have broken her for sure if Sayuri grew up not knowing who she was. “I’m just saying that you need to take more care from now on, especially since Hanamaru doesn’t exactly share your attraction to Leah. Take care of her first.”

Ruby took her sister’s words to heart. Dia had plenty of experience in this department, after all, and would certainly be devastated if her baby sister fell victim to the same poor choices and questionable circumstances as herself. When they arrived home, Ruby shared scents with Dia as thanks for the advice and the ride, and then went up to her room to think for a bit.

It was hard to imagine that in just a few short months, she’d be a mother. She’d watched all of her omega friends go through pregnancies and births, and she’d helped out with the cubs countless times, but it was rather unbelievable that she was about to experience it for herself. Motherhood had never been something she aspired to; in fact, the very idea of it frightened her. The thought of telling Leah only compounded her fears, and though she opened her phone and held her finger over Leah’s number several times, she couldn’t bring herself to actually press it. What if Leah rejected her, or what if she didn’t want the cub? Perhaps even worse, what if she wanted to pursue a more romantic sort of relationship with Ruby and Hanamaru – or _worse_ worse, with only Ruby?

Instead of finding those things out the hard way, Ruby scrolled a little ways down and found Nozomi’s name. Muse’s resident spiritualist and longtime homemaker was sure to have some sage advice for scared little Ruby. The way she worked her intuition and deciphered her peculiar tarot cards was like real-life magic, and Ruby was certain Nozomi would be able to fish a clear answer out of her murky situation. Until then, breaking the news to Leah would have to wait.

 

Setsuna approached the apartment – that is, Muse’s isolation shed – with trembling hands and a stomach bubbling over with anxiety. She could smell Kasumi just faintly from outside the shed, and even that slight trace was like a whiff of heaven, and Setsuna’s cock began to stir. She normally might have been frozen with hesitation in a situation like this, but Kasumi’s exciting scent was working its way into her alpha brain, and she knocked on the door.

Seconds later, the door opened, and the full strength of Kasumi’s heat blasted Setsuna. Her fur rushed in of its own accord, and Setsuna found herself staring wild-eyed at the sight before her. There was Kasumi, normally a sly, devilish girl, reduced to a furry, disheveled, panting mess, and it was the most arousing thing in the world.

“ _Setsuna_!”

She was breathless, her voice a desperate whine, and Setsuna couldn’t take it. In a surge of uncharacteristic alpha energy, she threw herself at Kasumi, kicking the door shut behind her and forcing the omega down to the dinky little bed. Whatever stale scents of other Muse members lingered there were completely overtaken by the maddening scent of Kasumi. The couple struggled on the bed for a while, eager to get out of their clothes but also unwilling to break their heated embrace. After several minutes of frustration, Setsuna at last managed to shrug out of her coat and discard her pants. Her cock strained beautifully against the fabric of her underpants, leaving a dark spot at the tip where she was beginning to leak, and Kasumi made sure those underpants were history in short order.

The moment was here. It wasn’t playing out quite as Setsuna had imagined; she very often fantasized about soft touches and sweet kisses and slow lovemaking, especially for her first time. She didn’t anticipate this level of primality, with her breaths quick and every bit of her body brimming with the frantic energy of the rut.

“Kasumi,” she moaned, “I’m going to explode!”

Kasumi’s only reply was to grin and stick her fuzzy little bottom up in the air, and raise her tail suggestively. Setsuna accepted the lewd invitation almost instantly, and, with her body seeming to act all on its own, she grabbed hold of her friend’s hips and shoved her cock inside.

Stroking herself in the dark to dirty anime images and thoughts of Kasumi was one thing. To be here now, inside of a real, warm, wet omega, was like paradise, and the fact that it was Kasumi herself made it that much sweeter. Setsuna thrust her hips wildly as the realization of her fantasy coupled with an ancient desire to breed overtook her normally-stable senses. It felt _so_ good, far better than her hand could ever be, and she was gushing her hot fluid into Kasumi in mere seconds.

All the panting and moaning and grunting alerted Kasumi to what was happening, and she turned back to Setsuna with an ugly snarl, furious at having been denied the pleasure of a mating. Setsuna apologized weakly, but she was too overcome with the bliss of her orgasm to do much more than that. When her cock at last stopped pulsing and spurting, she slid herself out and moved forward to nuzzle and kiss her mate’s face.

“I’m sorry, Kasumi,” she said. “You felt too good, I couldn’t stop it.”

“You _ruined_ it!” was Kasumi’s shrill reply. “I wanted my first mating with you to be special, and you had to go and- and- Ugh!”

Setsuna’s jaw dropped at Kasumi’s childish outburst. “I didn’t _mean_ to!” Shame at being unable to control herself prickled at her, and she wondered if coming here was such a good idea after all. The usual, shy, insecure Setsuna began to flood back. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I-I should probably head home now before it gets dark, so, um…”

She made to get up and gather her clothes, but a meek hand found her tail and tugged it.

“Don’t go,” Kasumi said, though she wouldn’t meet Setsuna’s eyes. Her tail thumped against the mattress as she pulled Setsuna back to bed, a clear giveaway for her embarrassment. “You can’t leave yet. N-not until you make it up to me.”

Setsuna’s cheeks burned hotter than ever upon hearing that. She drew Kasumi closer, and the pair embraced again, more gently this time, savoring the downy softness of each other’s fur and the feel of their lips pressed sweetly together in true doujin fashion. There in the little love shed, Setsuna made Kasumi hers in earnest, and forgot all about getting home on time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry ruby's part was short i'll expand on it later, i need to think about it a bit more. it's also 5am


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi i'm back i had friends visiting and we went to the pokemon world championship. i almost cried bc i've always wanted to go

There was no family breakfast the following morning. Members found their own food as they got up, and some, like Maki and Kanata, didn’t get up at all. The lack of a group meal made for a much quieter Saturday than usual, and Nozomi was thankful for the peace so that she could think. She woke up quite early, earlier than Eli, and with a peculiar feeling nibbling at her. Nozomi was very in tune with her natural intuitive abilities, which she referred to as her “spiritual power,” and persistent feelings, negative or positive, always required further investigation.

She reached for her well-worn tarot deck, one featuring cat images that Rin had gifted to her while she was pregnant with Karin, which she typically kept on the nightstand. This morning, though, the deck was missing from its usual spot, and Nozomi remembered the lesson she’d given to Kiyoko with them a couple days ago. With a soft sigh at having to leave the warmth of the bed behind, Nozomi pushed herself up and headed for the living room. There she found Kiyoko cozy at the kotatsu with her own cards spread out on the table.

“Decided to do a reading, love?” Nozomi asked as she settled herself beside her daughter.

“I had a funny feeling,” Kiyoko replied. “Karin and Ai were acting weird yesterday, too. Did you notice? So I’m trying to figure out what’s going on.”

“I was coming in here to do just that, but we’ll use yours since you’ve already started,” Nozomi said. It was a delight to her that Kiyoko seemed to possess similar spiritual gifts as herself, and she’d been coaching the cub since she was old enough to speak. “What did you pull?”

Kiyoko tapped the cards on the table. “Wheel of Fortune, Two of Pentacles, and the Empress.”

“And what do you think that might mean?”

“Mm…” Kiyoko studied the images for a while, chewing her lip cutely. “I think it means… Something bad might happen that changes everything. But the Empress here means it’ll turn out okay in the end, or the bad thing will lead to a good thing. Right?”

She looked to her mother for approval, but Nozomi only shrugged. “I can’t tell you if it’s correct or not, Kiyoko-chan. That’s up to your gut. If you feel that’s what the cards are telling you, then you should go with that. I get a similar feeling from this reading, but I have a bit more context.” She pointed to the Wheel of Fortune card. “Karin told me a couple days ago that she wants to propose to Ai, but I also know that Ai is moving to Italy this fall for school. Mari told me that a few weeks ago. Those are both very big changes to what they’re used to, and will put a lot of pressure on their relationship. I agree with you when you say that the Empress suggests something positive in the end, but that’s only if they can weather the turning of the wheel.”

“Is that my fortune for today?”

Nozomi and Kiyoko were both startled out of their session by Karin, who laughed and plopped herself down beside them. She studied the cards spread on the table with interest. She wasn’t nearly so skilled at divination as her mother or her sister, and considered herself more of a realist than a spiritualist, but that’s not to say she didn’t respect her mother’s gifts or that she disbelieved in them entirely. There was something to Nozomi’s serene wisdom, after all, and she was seldom wrong.

“Ai told you the news last night, didn’t she?” Nozomi said.

Karin seemed surprised. “You knew?”

Nozomi nodded. “I knew, but Mari and I both agreed that it was better for Ai to tell you in her own time.”

Karin’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t know what to do now. I wanted to marry her and live together while we go to school, but… Now that she’s going to another country, I’m worried that she won’t want to, or worse, that she’ll find another alpha while she’s there.”

“You need to have a bit more faith in your relationship, little cub,” Nozomi said. “Do you really think the omega you grew up with would drop you so easily? Besides, there are plenty of ways to stay connected to each other in this day and age, and I’m sure if you saved up your money you could afford a visit or two, as well.”

“I agree!” said Kiyoko. “You should ask her to marry you anyway, Karin! It’s Ai, so she’ll say yes for sure.”

Any further discussion was interrupted by a knock at the door. Nozomi answered it, as she was expecting Ruby to stop by, and sure enough, the short red omega was outside and shivering in her furs. Nozomi pulled her inside, gave her a warm hug, and shared scents with her.

“Good morning, Ruby,” Nozomi said, and then after a brief pause, added, “You’re pregnant.”

Ruby shrank at having been found out so quickly. Her first instinct was to deny it, but that was ridiculous. “Yes, that’s… what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Nozomi swept Ruby inside, hung up her coat, and got her snug and settled at the kotatsu while she put on a pot of coffee. Karin left to shower and to give them a little privacy, but Kiyoko remained, deeply interested in whatever serious problem Ruby was supposedly having this early in the morning. While the coffee brewed, Nozomi decided to probe Ruby gently.

“So what’s going on, Ruby? I know you mentioned you had something serious to discuss, but I wasn’t expecting this.”

Ruby glanced at the tarot cards already laid out on the table. “Well… I was hoping you could give me a reading. Or- or even just some advice. I’m really stuck!” She fiddled with the kotatsu’s blanket with restless fingers.

Nozomi gathered up Kiyoko’s cards and put them back in their pouch. “I think it’s best for now that we just talk,” she said. “Now, what happened? Is it Leah’s baby?”

Ruby nodded, stunned that Nozomi already knew the truth. “I-I didn’t mean for it to happen,” she said softly. “Maru and I were just… We never planned on having children, and definitely not with Leah. I’m scared for my marriage now.”

Kiyoko cocked her head at that statement. “What? How’d you end up pregnant on _accident_? Mama, I thought you said-”

“I can explain it to you later, love,” Nozomi interrupted. “Would you mind checking on the coffee for us, please?”

The little alpha obeyed, though her brain still buzzed with questions, and that left Nozomi and Ruby alone for the moment.

“Are you going to keep the child?” Nozomi asked.

“I don’t know,” Ruby admitted. “That’s what I needed help with. On one hand, I don’t want to make any decisions that will hurt my relationship with Hanamaru. On the other hand… It’s a cub, and it’s mine. We never wished or planned for cubs, but now that it’s a reality I feel… different.”

Nozomi nodded along with Ruby’s words. “That’s understandable,” she said. “Having a child is a powerful thing – I’d argue it’s one of the most powerful experiences you can have. If you decide to go through with it, things _will_ change. Children need lots of time and attention and energy, and that can be a big strain if you’re not prepared. Unfortunately I don’t have any easy answers for you, Ruby-chan, except to tell you that you need to be on the same page as Hanamaru about this, and that you need to tell Leah as soon as you can.”

Kiyoko arrived back with coffee for both omegas, which Nozomi sipped quietly while Ruby heaped sugar and cream into hers. The cub pulled the blanket around herself and nestled into her mother with a contented rumble, and shut her eyes while she listened to the adults talk.

“I’ll send Leah a message,” Ruby said as she opened up her phone. “Maybe we can meet with Maru on her lunch break.”

“That would be a good idea,” Nozomi said. “The longer you wait, the harder it will be on her, and on you.”

Between the warmth of the kotatsu, the omegas’ soft conversation, and her mother’s comforting scent, Kiyoko found herself dozing off. It was still early, after all, and she hadn’t slept well thanks to the funny feeling in her gut. Mama had a way of making sleep (and life in general) easier, though, and Kiyoko did not even realize she’d drifted off completely until another knock came at the door and startled her back into wakefulness.

“Good morning again, Kiyoko-chan,” Nozomi said with a giggle.

Kiyoko sat up straight and rubbed her eyes. Ruby was gone, replaced by Eli, who was eating breakfast. In fact, the smell of the breakfast was fresh and strong and very tempting, and Kiyoko’s tummy gave a hearty growl.

“Kiyoko-chan! You’ve got company!” Nico called from the kitchen.

Yumi and You came into the room, waving, and Yumi plopped herself down next to Kiyoko and gave both her and Nozomi a greeting nuzzle.

“Kiyoko, we’re going to get ice cream,” said the little grey cub. “Do you wanna come? Is anyone else up?”

“Ice cream in the morning?” Kiyoko turned to her parents. “Can I go, Mama? Mommy?”

“You can go,” Eli said. “Just make sure you eat some real food first!”

“Yes, Mom!” Kiyoko helped herself to some of the leftovers she found in the kitchen, and shared her plate with Yumi before getting dressed and ready to go. She chose a warm sweater to wear at her mother’s urging, and a light jacket on top of that. “See you later!”

“Be careful, girls,” Eli said. “Call me if anything comes up.”

“We will!” the cubs promised, and set off for their early-morning treat, but not before stopping off at an even more important place.

 

Yumi kept her mother’s grave pristine. Kiyoko had only visited a few times, but each time the headstone was well-scrubbed, the area swept clean of debris and plucked free of weeds, and the offering pots full. This time was no different, but Yumi insisted upon following through with the typical rituals, so Kiyoko helped her.

“Do you remember much about your mama?” Kiyoko asked, finally breaking their reverent silence.

“Mm… It’s hard to remember a lot,” Yumi admitted. “But I know she used to hug me and read to me and cook for me. Stuff like that, you know, normal mama stuff. But she also protected me whenever Papa got angry.”

“Your papa was bad,” Kiyoko said. “She hurt my mama, too, you know. A long time ago.”

Yumi fell silent again, and Kiyoko feared that, even though her words were true, she might have overstepped her bounds. She swished her tail to the left to brush it against Yumi’s, and, to her relief, Yumi returned the gesture, and they curled their tails together.

“Kiyoko,” Yumi said after a time, “do you think I’m a bad person?”

Kiyoko was taken aback at her friend’s sudden question. “Of course not,” she said. “Why would you be bad?”

Yumi shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said. “My old papa did bad things, and she always hurt me, so I thought maybe I was bad, too.”

Kiyoko didn’t quite understand that line of thought. Yumi was innocent on all counts, as far as she knew, and was too young to really have committed any serious offenses. Of course, Kiyoko herself was too young to fully grasp the abusive dynamics of Yumi’s birth family, but she was certainly old enough to recognize that none of Yumi’s awful treatment was deserved. She twined her tail tighter with her friend’s and pressed her hands together.

“Let’s pray,” she said.

So the girls prayed. It was a little awkward to address the spirit of a woman she never knew, but Kiyoko, as a rather spiritual cub, wanted to do things properly when it came to the dead, so she simply asked for Yumi’s continued physical and mental wellbeing. Even after Kiyoko was finished, Yumi stayed in that position for a long time, so the little alpha waited patiently. It was good for Yumi to commune with her mother, after all.

“Nice to see devout cubs are still about.”

An unfamiliar male voice and musk caught them both by surprise, and they whirled around to meet the stranger, fangs bared, but faltered when they saw that it was only an old man, stooped and greyed in his age. He was still an alpha, but in their young eyes, a harmless, ancient one. They quickly straightened up and gave a respectful bow to the weathered old man.

“We were just paying our respects to her mother,” Kiyoko said.

The man nodded. “I’ve seen you around here quite often, little omega,” he said to Yumi. “I thought perhaps you lost a beloved grandmother, but I’m sorry to hear that it was actually your mother. No child should ever have to lose a parent so young.” He studied Yumi for a while, a curious glint in his eyes. “I’ve been thinking also that you remind me of my little granddaughter when she was your age. She had grey fur a lot like yours. I remember I used to take her out to the country some weekends when she’d visit me, and we’d get up to all sorts of things – fishing, hunting for beetles, making campfires… Ah, I promised her we’d go sailing off the coast of Numazu one summer, but we never got to do it. She was a very adventurous little alpha, you see, and so we…”

Kiyoko and Yumi nodded along with the elderly alpha’s rambling tale, but neither knew quite what to say. Clearly he adored his granddaughter, and the fact that they were talking in a cemetery only made it sadder, as the cubs assumed that the little girl must have died, and seeing Yumi brought back the man’s bittersweet memories.

“What happened to your granddaughter?” Yumi asked, rather boldly. “Is she…”

“Things changed,” the old alpha replied simply. “Anyway, I didn’t mean to keep you so long. I just wanted to compliment you on your devotion. You girls enjoy the rest of your day.”

He sent the cubs off with a candy for each. They met with You at the cemetery gates, who gave their new sweets the side-eye. Since when did cemeteries offer free candy, anyway?

“Where’d you get those?” You asked as they made their way back down the sidewalk.

“We met a nice old alpha man in there,” Yumi said. “He said I looked like his granddaughter, and then he told us about her for a really long time. Then he gave us candy!”

You chuckled at that. The man must have been very kind if Yumi accepted a treat from him, much less talked to him for an extended period. The little omega was still distrustful of strangers, especially alphas, though by now she was adjusted enough to attend school and go into town. Her well-founded caution eased You’s job somewhat, as she was less likely than other cubs to go waltzing into dangerous situations.

“Just be careful taking candy from people you don’t know,” You said. “Sometimes people can seem nice at first, but they’re really not. But it’s good that he was just a nice old guy!”

“Yes, Papa,” Yumi said.

You ruffled her hair and pulled the cub to her side, where she gave her several hearty pats. “Alright,” she said, “you kids wanted ice cream, too, right? Though I can’t imagine why, since it’s still so cold out…”

“Ice cream’s good no matter what it feels like outside, Papa,” Yumi reminded her sternly. “Also, can we go to the library today, too? There’s something I wanted to get but I couldn’t find it at school.”

You agreed, and so the three of them decided to take the train to the library first. Kiyoko didn’t miss how the other passengers made way for them and ducked their heads or looked away, either in awkwardness or in fear. It made her feel at once angry that people would act this way because of what she was, and embarrassed for being so animal-like in the first place. Once they were packed in the train, she began to retract her fur in hopes that the tension would ease a bit.

“Mama! Can we go and pet the werewolf people?” a child asked much too loudly for her mother’s taste.

“They’re people, we don’t pet them,” the mother corrected her, and sent a wary glance the shifters’ way. “Be quiet and stay put now.”

The term “werewolf” was jarring for Kiyoko. She knew that betas sometimes called her kind werewolves, but she’d never been on the receiving end of such a title. She might have been more offended had it not been such a young child, but she was still left with a peculiar feeling. The little girl didn’t mean any harm, though; she spent the train ride peering over at the three shifters, plainly in wonder of their furry bodies and their pointy ears, and most of all their tails. Good-natured and child-loving You played along and met the girl’s curious looks with a great big grin, but Kiyoko couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable, and she turned to stare out the window for the duration of the ride.

She was grateful when they at last reached their stop, and moved to get off the train teeming with beta scents and eyes. The young girl was sad to see them go, and sent them off with an innocent “Bye, wolfies!” You noticed Kiyoko’s ears twitching once they were outside, and gave the cub’s hair a gentle stroke.

“She’s too young to know what she’s saying,” You said. “It’s alright.”

“We’re not _werewolves_ ,” Kiyoko muttered in reply. Werewolves were bloodthirsty monsters – shifters were people.

There was quite a commotion taking place outside the library when they arrived. Closer inspection revealed that it was members of their pack who were causing the stir. Ruby was seated on the low stone wall outside the building, with her head bowed and shoulders hunched, while Hanamaru and Leah stood just a few steps away, each bristling and arguing loudly.

“So you’re just going to abandon Ruby and _your_ cub?” Hanamaru was saying, and noticeably free of zuras. “That’s heartless! I thought you cared about us!”

“I _do_ care!” Leah shot back. “But look at me! I’m not ready to be a parent! I only make enough money to support my sister and me, I can’t just drop everything to take on a cub, too!”

“That’s your responsibility!” Hanamaru cried. “You’re its father!”

“Please stop fighting!” Ruby pleaded, but it fell on deaf ears.

Hanamaru and Leah began to circle each other, snarling horribly, and You, sensing a fight, shoved Kiyoko and Yumi towards the safety of the library. The cubs scurried inside, but quickly came around to watch the action from the window alongside several other nosy folks. Hanamaru was the first to strike, and she and Leah were quickly locked in an ugly scuffle, neither giving the other an inch until You at last intervened and dragged Leah away.

“Stop this!” You growled. “What’s going on here?!”

Neither Hanamaru nor Leah answered the question, and instead continued to exchange vicious snarls until Leah finally began to back away slowly, and Hanamaru stared her down all the way. Once the alpha determined that she was a safe enough distance to turn tail and run, she did, and faster than You had ever seen her go. Several people en route to the library yelped and threw themselves out of the path of the charging alpha as she passed.

“I really lost my temper out there, zura!” Hanamaru said once they were calm and settled in her office. She wasn’t hurt badly, thankfully, suffering only a few minor cuts and scrapes, but nothing to get worked up over. She planted a loving kiss in the still-sniveling Ruby’s hair. “I’m sorry, Ruby.”

Ruby leaned into her mate’s touch. “I didn’t think she’d react so badly.”

You’s eyes darted back and forth between her two packmates. She’d been suspicious for a time, what with the couple’s frequent outings with Leah and their scents after, not to mention Ruby’s unusual behavior of late, but now the truth was plain. “You’re pregnant, huh, Ruby?”

Ruby nodded meekly, and You felt a stab of both sympathy for Ruby and outrage at Leah’s behavior. It was none of her business, of course, but all the years she spent trying and failing to conceive with Chika made the subject of unwanted cubs a rather sore one for her. She would have given anything to have a child, and to see a father abandon her potential offspring so carelessly set her blood to boiling.

“She might just need some time, zura,” Hanamaru said, hoping to reassure Ruby even though her own feelings on the matter were closer to You’s. “We’ll contact her again in a few days, or maybe she’ll contact us first.”

A quick rap on the office door interrupted any further conversation. Hanamaru opened it, and another library employee greeted her.

“Kunikida-san,” she said, “is everything alright now? We need your help over by the children’s nonfiction.”

“I’ll be right there,” Hanamaru said, then turned to Ruby. “Ruby, I’ll be back shortly, okay? I’ve got some food in the left drawer if you’re hungry, zura.”

Hanamaru left, and Ruby helped herself to some snack bread from her mate’s desk, which she nibbled at miserably while You sat uncomfortably across from her. After several minutes of awkward silence, Ruby finally wondered aloud, “Should I even keep this baby…?”

“You should,” was You’s immediate reply. “Even if Leah doesn’t come around, it’s not like you’re alone. You have Hanamaru.”

“True, but…” Ruby’s eyes focused on the photo of herself and Hanamaru that was framed on the desk. “Hanamaru never wanted children, you know. I’m afraid this is going to hurt our marriage.”

You could think of a few other things that might hurt Ruby’s marriage worse, but she wasn’t about to lay judgment on her longtime friend and packmate. “Hanamaru loves you,” she said. “I’m sure things will work out alright! You have rest of the pack to support you, too, don’t forget.”

“Papa!”

Yumi barged into the office then, with Kiyoko not far behind. She flung her arms around her adoptive father and nuzzled into her chest. “Papa, is everything okay now? Are you done talking in here?” She turned her head to gaze at Ruby, whose eyes were now dried but still considerably red. “What happened? How come Maru and Leah were fighting?”

You gave the cub a few hefty pats before setting her back on her feet. “Nothing little cubs need to worry about,” she said. “Did you find the book you wanted? You ready to go?”

“Yes! We’re still getting ice cream, too, right?” Yumi bounced in place at the thought of getting her paws on that sweet, creamy treat.

“Of course we are!” You stood up as the children cheered. She turned back to Ruby before she left, and gave her some encouraging words. “I’m sure you can get things figured out Ruby-chan. Call me if you need anything, or if you want me to come pick you up.”

Ruby nodded and accepted You’s offer, and then You and the cubs were off to the ice cream shop in the freezing weather. All were in their thick furs, save for Kiyoko, who only allowed a thin layer to cover her skin.

“You’ll get sick like that,” You nagged her. “It’s better and warmer for you to let your furs in all the way.”

Kiyoko hunched her shoulders stubbornly. “Well, I don’t want anyone to be afraid,” she said. “You saw the people on the train, right? They didn’t want to look at us or talk to us, and that little girl called us werewolves. And I heard people whispering and saying bad things in the library when Leah and Hanamaru were fighting.”

You frowned deeply at the cub’s words. “Kiyoko-chan, we are what we are,” she said. “Shifters have as much a right to be here and do things as anyone else, and you don’t have to change the way you look or act just to make other people happy.”

“Yeah, well…” Kiyoko didn’t have a true reply to that, so she simply stayed silent and left her furs in lightly against the older alpha’s advice.

You sighed, and accepted that she likely couldn’t change Kiyoko’s feelings on the matter right now. The poor cub must never have encountered anything like that before; why else would she react so strongly so suddenly? She made a mental note to have a talk with Nozomi about the incident on the train and Kiyoko’s current behavior. The last thing they needed on their hands was a little alpha who was ashamed to be one.

 

Kasumi’s heat scent was almost hypnotic in the way it drew Setsuna in and kept her there, desperate to join her body with Kasumi’s and pump her full with little cubs. They mated again and again and again, until they at last gave in to exhaustion in the wee hours of the morning, and then, when the sun began to peek through the little window of the apartment, they woke and did it all again. Now, it was nearly noon, and the other biological needs that Setsuna’s body had ignored since yesterday were coming to the forefront, despite her still-burning desire for Kasumi.

“I’m gonna get us some food,” she said as she gathered her clothes from the floor. Her stomach was roaring like an alpha with hunger, her throat was dry, and her bladder was heavy between her legs. She was in poor shape, and yet a dull euphoria still enveloped her and kept her buzzing, so no matter how hungry she was or how badly she needed to piss, her thoughts inevitably drifted back to Kasumi. That, she figured, must be what the rut was all about.

“I want bread,” Kasumi said, her voice muffled by her pillow. All modesty had gone out the window last night; now she rested buck naked and furry on the bed, without even the blanket to cover her.

“I’m sure someone has cooked,” Setsuna said. She bent down to give Kasumi one last kiss before she ventured back to the house, and the scent of her almost pulled her back into that overpowering lust, but Kasumi seemed to be a lot hungrier than she was horny, and she pushed Setsuna away. It was still rather chilly for a late February day, but Setsuna’s mind was too busy with thoughts of fucking Kasumi for her to notice the cold.

“Setsuna?”

Setsuna was pulled out of her fantasies by a voice, which, to her horror, she found belonged to Honoka. Kasumi’s father was there with a plate full of breakfast, and she was staring at Setsuna with huge, surprised eyes. Setsuna was equally shocked, but only for a brief moment. In a wave of rutting, burning confidence, she returned Honoka’s stare with a fierce glare and a territorial growl, and then pushed past her to strut across the yard to the house.

Now, from Honoka’s point of view, that was perhaps the most pathetic alpha display she’d ever seen. Setsuna’s hair was frizzed and sticking out in all directions, her eyes were red-rimmed and dark with lack of sleep, and what was meant to be a savage growl came out more like a kid’s cracking voice. Best of all, her strut was no strut at all, but the awkward stomping of someone who probably put the toilet off for too long. In other words, Honoka was not threatened at all by her cub’s little mate, and paid her no mind.

“Kasumin! I brought you some food!” Honoka invited herself in, and was greeted with the stench of the cubs’ mating(s). The couple of stray condoms on the floor were a mortifying enough sight, but not so much as the fact that two or three condoms was not _nearly_ enough for a young rutting couple who’d just spent the night together. There was little doubt that Setsuna had blasted Kasumi more than enough times to put a cub in her belly, and now Honoka would have to act to protect her daughter’s interests, even if it did make her feel guilty. After all, Kasumi was no longer a cub, but a young woman, and who was Honoka to tell her, should there be one, that she ought not to keep her own baby?

Inside, Eli and Nozomi were flipping through old photo albums with Karin and Ai. Both couples had grown up in ages of digital photos, of course, but Nozomi always insisted on keeping physical copies precisely so they could have days like these. Karin was particularly fixated on the pictures from her parents’ wedding day, most likely so she could draw inspiration from them, but Ai was more interested in Karin’s embarrassing baby pictures.

“You look so pretty here, Mama,” Karin said about the image of her parents in traditional wedding garb, with Nozomi smiling serenely while Eli looked just jolly as can be.

“Yeah!” Ai agreed. “It’s super Japanese, too! I remember when my parents got married! It was like a barbecue pool party, nothing like this, this seems more serious, hahaha!”

Eli shared a tender look with Nozomi while the girls bickered about the pros and cons of Japanese weddings, western-style weddings, and barbecue pool party weddings. They knew Karin was discreetly getting a feel for what sort of wedding her longtime mate would like, and that was almost impossible to believe when it felt like their own wedding wasn’t so long ago.

Any more reminiscing was cut short by the arrival of Setsuna through the back door. The potent musk of heat sex instantly filled the room, and both couples turned to stare at Setsuna. Karin and Ai could barely contain their giggles at the sight and smell of their friend, and Eli was in complete shock, but Nozomi only gave her a smug, knowing look. All those eyes at once almost froze her, but Setsuna quickly regained her composure and waddled off to the toilet, rumbling all the way with what she thought was sexy alpha dominance.

Ai was rolling at that point, gasping for breath between great gusts of laughter, and Karin and Nozomi couldn’t help but join in at the ridiculous sight. Eli, meanwhile, was much more concerned about Umi, who burst into the room mere seconds after Setsuna reached the bathroom.

“Was that Setsuna I just smelled?!” she demanded.

Umi’s outraged expression sent Ai into further hysterics, and she pointed with a shaky hand down the hall, where the bathroom was. Umi marched herself right to the bathroom door, despite Eli’s protests, and gave it a good, solid, authoritative knocking. Setsuna, who had her pants around her ankles and seconds beforehand had been joyously relieving herself, now stiffened with fear. She could smell Kasumi’s Mommy through the door, and could practically _feel_ the omega woman’s fury. She forced herself to piss as slowly as possible, so at least she might have an excuse as to why she was taking so long to open the door.

“J-just a minute!”

“I understand you’ve been defiling my daughter,” was Umi’s reply.

Setsuna was thankful now that she’d locked the door. She was toast for sure!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm too dumb to go to bed at a decent hour instead of powering through and writing this fic, but oh well. i'm trying hard to wrap this up without being boring. thank u for reading and commenting all the time friends

The weeks that followed passed quickly and blissfully for Kasumi. Even Umi’s superior intimidation tactics couldn’t stop Setsuna’s raging sex drive, and even when Kasumi’s heat faded and her scent returned to normal, the young alpha still found her utterly irresistible, and came by to love on her and mate with her every single day. Kasumi welcomed these affections, and found her love for Setsuna seemed to intensify with each visit. She knew, after all, that the very first sparks of life were now alight in her belly, and that she’d created them with Setsuna. That wasn’t something she’d found out by some external means; it was something she simply _knew_ , deep in her bones, in the very core of her being, and somehow she wasn’t worried at all, though perhaps that was just her omega brain at work.

On this particular day, Kasumi wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and sleep the morning away, but Karin was having none of that. Her alpha packmate rapped on the door for the third time in half an hour, and Kasumi finally snarled a warning, but Karin invited herself in anyway.

“Hey! Kasukasu! You’re gonna make us late!” Karin said, and snatched the blanket away. “You’re not even dressed yet! Ai and Setsuna are already outside waiting for us!”

“Fuck off, Karin,” Kasumi grumbled, and yanked her warm blanket back. “I’m staying home today. I’m tired.”

“You can’t stay home today,” Karin replied. “It’s graduation day, or did you forget?” She opened up Kasumi’s closet and thumbed through the clothes there until she found her chosen graduation attire, which she flung at her packmate’s face. “Hurry up and get dressed!”

“Fine!” Kasumi shoved Karin from the room and begrudgingly replaced her comfy pajamas with her dressy clothes. She supposed she _was_ a little excited to have the spotlight for a bit, and to be finished with school, but that didn’t mean she was ready to get out of bed.

The downstairs living areas were buzzing with activity when Kasumi came down. Pack members flitted from place to place, gathering clothes and shoes and quick bites of breakfast, and dishes clanked and Rin was laughing and little Yuri was crying to her mother. Kasumi’s fuse was already cut dangerously short from being awakened so rudely by Karin, and all this noise and commotion had her on track to explode, and violently. A deep growl rumbled in her throat, signaling her annoyance to anyone close enough to hear.

“What’s wrong, sweetie? Are you nervous?”

Kotori heard the growls and gave her cub’s shoulders a tentative rub, and when Kasumi seemed to react positively, she pulled the cub into a full embrace and pressed a tender kiss to her cheek. Kasumi buried her face in her mother’s neck and drew in her light, sweet scent. It was embarrassing to admit at her age, but Mama’s scent and Mama’s hugs always eased her temper and made her feel better.

“It’s nothing, Mama,” Kasumi said. “Just having a bad morning.” She wasn’t quite ready to admit to her parents the real reason for her sour moods of late, which was that she was preoccupied with thoughts of Setsuna and the little cub she was certain they’d made.

“Kasumi, come on!” Karin cried from halfway out the door. “We’ve got to hurry!”

Kasumi finally pulled away from her mother, and, after one last nuzzle to each of her parents and her baby sister, she followed Karin out to meet their friends. Umi watched her go with a slight frown on her face.

“She’s been having an awful lot of ‘bad mornings,’ don’t you think?” she said.

“I thought she might just be worried about graduating,” Kotori said. “It’s a big step, after all, and she’ll be separated from her friends not too long from now.”

“Or maybe she’s got the first mating blues,” Honoka suggested. She wasn’t even going to _mention_ the severe lack of condoms on the apartment floor that fateful morning.

“There’s no such thing as the first mating blues,” Umi said.

“There is too such a thing,” Honoka insisted. “I got it the first time I mated with Kotori! Every time we had to be apart I would feel so lonely, and time would pass so slowly, and my mom finally had to yell at me to get me to school on time!”

It was fun to listen to the trio bicker and speculate amongst themselves, but it was nearing time for the rest of the family to head over to the school for the ceremony, so Eli called everyone together, and they headed out. It was unusual for the entire pack to move in a group like this, and their presence drew some curious looks from the folks in town. Kiyoko turned and pressed her face into her mother’s side when she noticed the attention.

“It’s alright, lovie,” Nozomi assured her as she ran her fingers gently through the cub’s hair. “They’re only looking because there are so many of us. No one’s staring at you.” She recalled the conversation she’d had with You a couple weeks back about Kiyoko’s sudden self-consciousness about her alpha nature, and was doing her best to keep it at bay.

Eli, meanwhile, was hurt at the news. Alphahood, and shifterhood in general, was to be a point of pride, in her opinion, and she wanted her daughter to know it. “Stand up straight, Kiyoko-chan,” she said. “There now, there’s a big alpha.”

There was little time to address the matter in detail this morning, so the best Eli could do was to get her cub to hold her head high. The graduation ceremony would begin soon, and the Muse pack arrived with several minutes to spare. Due to their massive family size, they’d had to put in a request to reserve seats in advance, and they found them empty and waiting for them upon their arrival, right next to the Aqours pack’s seats.

“Finally made it, huh?” Kanan grinned and shared scents with Eli when the other alpha took her place beside her.

“We had a hard time wrangling all the kids,” Eli said. “The party’s still on after this, right?”

“ _Of course_!” Mari replied, rather too loud in the rapidly quieting auditorium, and Sayuri burst into giggles.

The ceremony was long, with many songs and speeches and, of course, students receiving diplomas. Baby Nanaka began to whine partway through, and Mari had to gather her up and gently rock her to sleep so as not to disturb anyone else. Sayuri complained of needing to pee sometime after the second speech, and whispered this to Dia throughout the ceremony, and Dia chided her as quietly as possible. On the Muse side of things, Kanata decided to skip the whining (as she was much too old for that, anyway) and go straight to the napping, and no matter how many times Rin shook her awake, she found her eyelids drooping down again.

Unlike the cubs, the parents didn’t mind the length of the ceremony, however, especially not those with cubs participating. They were there to see their babies, though they were hardly babies anymore. Whenever Nozomi looked at Karin, it was impossible for her _not_ to see the tiny little girl she once was, with her great smiling face and squeaky cub voice, or to remember the first time she held her in her arms and met those little blue eyes so much like Eli’s. When Karin stood to receive her certificate, Nozomi finally saw – or, rather, admitted to herself – that Karin was no longer a cub, but a grown alpha. She looked so beautiful standing up on that stage, and radiated the same gentle confidence as her father, and indeed mirrored her in every way save for the color of her hair.

Eli must have heard the tiny sob that wracked Nozomi’s throat, because she threw an arm around her and pulled her close. “I love you,” she whispered into her mate’s hair, and pressed a kiss there.

Honoka seemed to be feeling much the same way as Nozomi, and even after the ceremony was over, she was still sniffling and sobbing with tears rolling down her cheeks faster than Umi could wipe them away. Kasumi finally met with her parents in the schoolyard, and threw herself into Honoka’s arms.

“Don’t cry, Honey!” Kasumi pleaded. “Don’t cry! You’ll make me cry!”

“Kasumi-chan! My baa-aa-aa-by…!”

Setsuna looked on fondly while Kasumi and her family shared hugs and nuzzles and, in Honoka’s case, tears. Setsuna’s own parents, as well as her sister Ayumu, approached her and gave her congratulatory nuzzles, too. As the most studious of the group, she graduated with honors, naturally, and much to Riko’s delight.

“We’re so proud of you,” Riko said. “You’ve grown up into such a fine alpha.”

Setsuna’s cheeks reddened at the praise. “Y-you think so, Riri?”

Both Riko and Yoshiko nodded, and, while Setsuna sure didn’t feel like a fine alpha, they were telling the truth. Their cub may have still been in her awkward phase, but she was hardworking, she was responsible, and she was genuine. Of course, her parents still knew nothing of her little contraceptive slip-up and the furious mating that followed, and even Setsuna herself was still oblivious to the fact that she very well could be a parent by Christmastime.

“Mama, were you crying?” Karin asked Nozomi when she was reunited with her parents. She kissed her mother’s cheek and nuzzled her sweetly.

Nozomi could only smile that cool smile of hers. “I couldn’t help it, little cub,” she said. “You looked so much like Mommy standing up there.”

Eli nodded her agreement. “You’ve come a long way from the cub you used to be,” she said. “Of course, there’s still a lot more for you to learn, and we’ll always be here to-”

Ai suddenly barreled into Karin, crashing the Ayase family’s moment and nearly causing her mate to topple over. “ _Woohoo! Yeah, alright! Con-graduations_ , Karin-chan!”

Karin laughed, as she always did when Ai chose to make random English exclamations. The pair hugged and patted each other heartily, and Ai, seeming a little too late to realize her rather rude mistake, also decided to hug Karin’s parents.

“Hey, you guys are still coming over after this, right?” Ai asked them.

“Of course we are,” Eli replied. “We wouldn’t miss one of your mama’s parties for anything!”

Mari heard that, and her chest swelled with pride. “You better not!” she said. “Especially not today! I’m gonna be cooking up some _American-style barbecue_!”

Kiyoko nudged Sayuri and asked her in a whisper, “She’s gonna cook up some what?”

Both packs reunited at the Aqours home an hour later for graduation festivities, courtesy of Mari. It was a grand and happy affair, with plenty of food and drinks and weather nice enough to spend the whole afternoon by the pool. That is precisely what they did, and Mari stayed by the grill, serving up plate after plate of her perfectly smoked and seasoned “Mari-Q” to everyone.

“You guys should graduate more often!” Nico said as she sipped her cocktail at the edge of the pool, letting only her legs dangle in the water. “Either that or we need to get a pool at our place.”

“Come in, Mom!” Reine paddled over to her mother and tugged her hand. “Get in, get in! It feels good!”

“Mm, not now, honey,” Nico said. “It’s bad to swim when you drink, understand?”

She didn’t quite understand the shit-eating grin that spread across her daughter’s face until it was too late. Nico felt a great shove on her back, and next thing she knew she was in the water, coughing and spluttering and gasping for breath, and her drink was gone. Maki blew her a kiss from the side of the pool, and Nico sent a pathetic splash her way.

“Bitch!”

By late afternoon, Karin was all tuckered out. She’d spent the entire day swimming, and then eating, and then swimming more, and then playing fight and chase with her packmates. Now she rested on a lounge chair beside a forgotten glass of lemonade, enjoying the cool evening breeze. Ai came by and seated herself beside Karin’s chair, leaning her head on her mate’s arm.

“Wanna spend the night?” Ai asked casually. “Mama and Papa won’t mind.”

“I wanted to spend some time with my parents, too,” Karin replied, and smiled fondly at Ai’s pout. “I do have something special I wanted to show you, though. Come on! Let’s go to the poolhouse.”

Ah, the poolhouse – the site of their first mating, and many more thereafter. The mere sight and scent of it admittedly made Karin a little horny, but she wasn’t there to make love with Ai this time. Her clothes were inside, draped over a chair, and she dug into the pocket of her pants while Ai watched with mild interest.

“Here, Ai,” Karin said. “I got us these – as a kind of, you know, graduation-slash-early-White-Day gift.” She handed her mate two little cards.

“Huh? These are train tickets.” Ai accepted them, and her face lit up once she read the print. “Destination… Numazu? Oh – Karin-chan! You planned us an Uchiura trip?!”

Karin nodded, and seemed pleased at Ai’s very obvious delight. “I thought it might be nice for just the two of us to visit.”

“Oh, I agree!” Ai threw her arms around Karin with a happy rumble. “Thanks, Karin! I love you! Happy graduation!”

Karin returned her kisses and cuddles with pleasure. It was only a matter of time now before she popped that all-important question, and if Ai was this excited about a beach getaway, she could only hope that enthusiasm would carry over to the prospect of marrying Karin, even if she did have to leave the country in less than a year. Everything was in place – she just had to wait for White Day now.

 

Leah sat up slowly and rubbed the sleep and the crust from her eyes. Not that she could just rub the sleepiness out; if only it were so easy. It’d been weeks since she’d gotten a good, proper sleep, and since she’d seen Ruby and Hanamaru. The constantly-replaying memory of her violent encounter with Hanamaru coupled with the looming threat of fatherhood made real rest impossible. But no matter how her stomach twisted or her heart ached or her eyes drooped, life went on, and Leah had to get up.

The aroma of coffee was warm and fresh in the living area, but Sarah was nowhere to be seen. Leah guessed she must have left early for work – or, rather, to visit with Dia before work, as today was White Day – and the absence of her shoes in the foyer confirmed this. Leah helped herself to the coffee that remained in the pot (Sarah always made enough for both of them, no matter if Leah was awake or not), and slumped down onto the sofa to watch a bit of TV before she had to head out herself. She flipped idly through the channels, eventually stopping at a channel showing music videos, and enjoyed the sight of the young women dancing and singing.

Idols inevitably drew Leah’s thoughts back to Ruby. The little red omega had loved idols and everything about them since cubhood, and once showed Leah the idol blog she ran together with Hanayo and Nico. That secret little hobby was just one of the many things Leah loved about Ruby, and she had to admit that the songs were catchy and the outfits were cute, too. Over cocktails one night Ruby had confided in her that she wanted to be an idol when she was younger, and regretted being too timid to pursue her dreams, as she was now far too old to get into the game. The idea of Ruby wearing those girlish outfits and prancing about onstage was a welcome distraction from the idea of Ruby carrying her child, and Leah reached into her PJ pants to fondle her now-neglected cock.

It was almost comical how, within seconds of Leah gushing her spunk all over the coffee table, there came a loud knock at the door. Thinking it was perhaps a salesperson, Leah was content to ignore it, but the knocking only grew louder and more aggressive, so she covered up her dirty mess with a napkin and got up to answer it. To her surprise, Dia was there looking impatient.

“Sarah’s not here right now,” Leah said. “She left early for work. I thought she’d be with you, but I guess not.”

“I’m not here to see Sarah,” Dia said. Leah knew Dia could smell her sex musk just by the disapproving look on her face. “I’m here to see you. We need to talk.”

Dia pushed past Leah and entered the apartment before Leah could protest, and certainly before she could clean up the shameless amount of cum on the table. Dia sat herself down at the sofa and eyed first the television, which was still showing cute idol videos, and then the napkin, which was beginning to soak through, with absolute disgust.

“Don’t you have any dignity at all?” Dia asked, but before Leah could even take a breath to reply, she continued with her (perhaps well-deserved) chastisement. “It’s been weeks since you contacted Ruby at all! Don’t tell me you haven’t been receiving her messages or her calls – I know you have, and I know you’re ignoring her. Just how long do you plan to run away from this, Leah? This is real life! You’ve put my sister in a bad situation, and she _needs_ you to answer her.”

Leah frowned and avoided Dia’s fierce gaze. “I don’t know how to answer her,” she admitted. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Ruby. But what am I even supposed to do? I’m not ready for a child, much less a child outside of a marriage or, hell, even a real relationship. They only see me as a friend and a sexual partner, not a love partner. Sometimes I wish I’d just minded my own business.” She took up her coffee again and finally made eye contact with Dia. “Speaking of minding your own business…”

“Ruby is my sister, and you’re practically my sister-in-law at this point,” Dia said. “I’d say this is just as much my business as anyone’s. Or did you think I’d just accept having a massive elephant in the room for as long as I know you and your sister?”

“Still,” Leah replied stubbornly, “I don’t need you coming around here to tell me what to do. It’s not like you’d understand what I’m feeling, anyway.”

Dia bristled at that. “I understand perfectly well,” she said. “Sayuri didn’t just spawn out of nowhere, you know. I had to make similar decisions when she was born, and while in the end I was removed from Mari’s relationship, I still did the right thing for my daughter and stayed with Aqours to raise her. I’d suggest you grow up soon, Leah, and take responsibility for your actions.”

Leah opted not to reply, and instead sipped at her coffee while staring blankly at the half-open blinds. Dia said nothing else, either, until she at last decided to leave. As she slipped her shoes back on, she turned back to face Leah one more time.

“Make the right decision.”

The apartment door clicked shut, and Leah heaved a great sigh. She couldn’t actually be angry with Dia for looking out for her little sister; Sarah often did similar things for Leah herself. But there was still no way Dia could _truly_ understand her feelings. She’d heard the other alpha talking once about how she fell in love with Sayuri the instant she laid eyes on her, and Leah knew for a fact that something like that could never happen to her. How could it, when she was so unprepared, so unwilling, so unfit to be a father?

Still…

She quickly wiped her mess up from the table and went to fetch her phone from the bedroom. Regardless of her feelings about the pregnancy, Ruby was on her mind, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could bear to put her aside. She thumbed to Ruby’s number and stared at it for a bit, crafting and rehearsing the perfect lines in her head before she pressed it, but when Ruby picked up, her script was instantly forgotten.

“…Ruby-chan? It’s me.”

“L-Leah?!” Ruby’s little squeak of surprise was adorable. “I didn’t think you’d call me back!”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” Leah said, and paused for an uncomfortably long time while Ruby stuttered and sniffled on the other side. Finally, she found her words, and said, “I miss you, Ruby, and we need to talk. Do you… Maybe you want to, uh, meet up on my lunch break, or something?”

“Yes… Yes, I’d like to,” Ruby replied. “I-I’ve made up my mind about… about…”

She didn’t need to finish the sentence. “Alright,” Leah said. “I’ll take my break around noon, so meet me outside then.”

They hung up, and Leah stared, frowning, at the snow globe on her nightstand. She’d waited too long to call, and Ruby had come to a decision without her. She could only hope now that it was one that would end positively for both of them. Lunchtime was going to come slower than ever today.

 

White Day was great fun even for the little cubs, who, while they were too young to take part in the romantic aspects, enjoyed sharing gifts and, best of all, getting candy from their parents. Yumi’s papa had surprised her this morning with a teddy and a pretty blue-jeweled necklace, which she proudly wore to school and admired when she had the time. She saw a few other girls in her class receive gifts from boys (which were about as cheesy as expected from grade schoolers), but Yumi wasn’t all that interested in boys or alphas or anyone, for that matter. Papa’s gifts and Papa’s love were all she cared about at her age.

“What kind of flowers do you think your mama likes?” Sayuri was asking Kiyoko while they gathered their shoes and their things to go home.

“I don’t think you need to buy her any flowers, Sayuri,” Kiyoko replied. “I don’t get why you have a crush on her, anyway. She’s my _mama_ , she’s a _grownup_ , and she’s _married_.”

Sayuri’s cheeks were red instantly. “I don’t have a crush, Kiyoko! I’m just, like… Buying her flowers as a _friend_. I’m a family friend, right? So I’m allowed to give her flowers!”

“I don’t really think that’s what you’re doing…” Kiyoko grumbled.

The pair’s bickering came to a halt when a younger boy came by with an elaborately-decorated box tied up with a gold ribbon, and both alphas were intrigued by its perfumed scent. He glanced briefly at them, placed the box in a nearby cubby, then made his exit. Kiyoko and Sayuri grinned at each other, then went over to investigate. To their surprise, the boy left the box in Yumi’s cubby, placed delicately on top of her shoes. Even the attached tag read, “For Sweet Yumi-chan.”

“Oh boy!” Sayuri cried when she saw the tag. “Looks like Yumi’s got a secret admirer!”

Kiyoko sniffed at it, and recoiled at just how powerful the perfume was. “I can’t tell what’s inside,” she said. “The perfume is too strong! But I don’t think it’s chocolate or anything, the box is too deep and square for that.”

Kanata, Reine, and Yumi, the omegas of their little group, showed up almost immediately afterward, and were met with the scent of the perfume and two great big alpha grins. Kiyoko presented the box to Yumi, who stared at it in confusion.

“I-It’s not from me,” Kiyoko quickly explained. “A boy just came by here and put it in your cubby. You should open it!”

Yumi couldn’t help but smile at the gift’s presentation, even if it was perfumed strongly. “I saw a boy in my class carrying this box earlier, but I didn’t know it was for me,” she said. “No one besides Papa has ever given me a present like this.” Even if she didn’t care for crushes and romance, it still gave her a warm and happy feeling to know that there was a boy thoughtful enough to give her such a pretty gift, and embarrassed enough to do it anonymously.

“Open it!” Reine insisted. “If it looks that nice on the outside, just imagine what must be in it! Could it be… a diamond ring?!”

“Somehow I don’t think kids our age can afford diamond rings,” Kanata said. “But… You never know. You should open it, Yumi.”

Yumi put on her shoes and her backpack, then began to undo the silky golden ribbon of her mystery present. Her packmates crowded around, all desperate to know what was inside, and she felt a giddy feeling rising in her chest. She finally pulled the ribbon loose, and from there discarded the lid of the box. The sweet scent of the perfume then mingled with another, oddly unpleasant scent, and the tension in the cubs began to rise. There was still a layer of thin cardboard covering the prize inside, so Yumi pulled it away.

The little omega wasn’t even sure how to react. The gorgeous box was stuffed full with various dog treats, and she could only stare, expressionless, at them while she tried to process the insult. Kiyoko, meanwhile, knew exactly how to react – or at least her alpha brain did. Her fur rippled in thick instantly, and an involuntary growl ripped up from deep in her throat. She snatched the box away from Yumi.

“What’s that boy’s name?” she demanded.

Yumi flinched and stepped back. She’d never seen that sort of fury in Kiyoko’s singular eye before, or, really, anything other than calm and kindness. “I-I think it’s Taro,” she said, her voice hoarse with sudden dread.

Kanata stood behind Yumi and laid her hands soothingly on the younger cub’s shoulders. “You’re scaring her, Kiyoko,” she said.

Kiyoko didn’t want to scare Yumi, but the alpha rage that boiled in her belly was unstoppable, to the point that even she, traditionally a master at keeping her cool, felt her control slipping away. The violent energy coursing through her body saw her bursting through the doors of the building and into the schoolyard, where other children were milling about. Her packmates rushed onto the scene after her, and Sayuri tried to pull her back.

“Are you crazy, Kiyoko?!” she cried. “He’s a _beta_! You’ll kill him if you try and fight him!” Her own black fur was beginning to show through her skin as she struggled to hold it back and keep her cool for her friend.

“We’re not dogs!” Kiyoko snarled in reply, her voice half beast.

“We’re not dogs, but we’re not monsters, either!” Sayuri grabbed hold of her friend’s shoulders and growled a warning. “You can’t attack a beta! Get ahold of yourself, Kiyoko-chan!”

Sayuri’s words only fanned the flames of Kiyoko’s fury; she was far beyond getting talked out of it by anyone but her mother now. A quick and jerky movement up ahead caught her eye, and she looked up just in time to see the boy, Taro, pale and running for his life. Kiyoko shoved Sayuri away so roughly that she fell, and then took off after the offensive beta boy, roaring viciously. She could distantly hear her friends crying out for her to stop, and the pounding footsteps of them in pursuit, but all of her heightened senses were hyper-focused on the boy, her prey. With a cubbish bellow, she threw the gift box, which missed her target but bounced off the sidewalk, scattering dog treats at his feet.

“Someone help!” the boy shrieked. “Help!”

Kiyoko didn’t know why, and she didn’t even _want_ to do it, but she laughed at the beta’s distress. She was stronger, and faster, and had far more stamina than any beta child, and she quickly gained ground. Her heart pounded thunderously in her chest and her muscles tensed and buzzed with the anticipation of completing the hunt. She was close enough now, and with a horrible roar, she launched herself at the defenseless child, who screamed when the fangs pierced his skin.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the story is wiiiiiinding down now, thank you guys as always for keeping up with me and leaving comments
> 
> sorry if ruby's part seems a bit rushed or not as in-depth as the other scenes but honestly i feel like leah rn, i'm just making this shit up on the fly and hoping it works out alright

Kasumi woke on White Day with grief heavy in her heart. She’d been so preoccupied with her delight at the creation of her future cub that she’d completely forgotten that her time with Setsuna was now limited. Her mate had only a week left in Tokyo before she departed for university, and when Kasumi remembered this, her tummy was assaulted with pangs of sadness and dread, and her throat with a stubborn lump. She absolutely hated that they’d be separated for most of her pregnancy, and perhaps even for much of the cub’s early years, but she wouldn’t dream of keeping Setsuna from her studies, either. That was a matter to sort out later, though; for now, it was imperative that she deliver the news to her alpha in the first place.

She dressed herself quickly and then emerged from her room. She could hear the TV faintly downstairs, and the sounds of Karin and Ai talking and laughing from across the hall. She stepped into Karin’s room to find them chatting over a mess of clothing.

“What do you think?” Karin was asking her mate as she held first one sundress to her chest, then another. “This one, or this one? I can’t decide, though I’m thinking the blue…”

“I think blue suits you best, Karin-chan,” Ai said. “But come on! Everything you pick is gonna look good on you, so just… pick! You’re taking way too long just to pack!”

“Well, I just want to look cute while we’re there,” Karin replied.

“You _always_ look cute,” Ai insisted. “Besides, we’re probably gonna be naked half the time, anyw-”

“Hey! Don’t ignore me when I’m right here!” Kasumi said. She figured that if she didn’t interrupt soon, she’d be stuck listening to their disgusting flirting forever. “I need your help with something, Ai.”

Ai, thankful for being rescued from Karin’s endless and needless fashion woes, hopped up from the bed. “I’m your girl, Kasumin! What’s up?”

“I need you to come to the store with me,” Kasumi said. “I don’t want to go by myself.”

“Sure thing!” Ai said. “I could go for a little snack, myself!”

Karin pulled herself up from stuffing her suitcase. “I’ll come, too,” she said. “I want one of those buns they have at the convenience store.”

“No!” Kasumi cried, stunning Karin. She cleared her throat and folded her arms stubbornly. “Er, I mean, sorry, Karin, but this is strictly omega business. No alphas allowed this time, so…”

Ai clapped her disappointed mate on the shoulder. “It’s fine, Karin, you need to stay here and finish packing, anyway!” she said. “We’ll bring you a bun.”

It was only a short walk to the convenience store when they cut through the yards in the neighborhood rather than taking the streets. Once there, Kasumi headed straight for the health aisle to search for her needed items while Ai hovered nearby, clearly impatient to get to the snacks.

“Why did you need to come, anyway?” Ai asked. “And how come Karin couldn’t come? And where’s Setsuna? Did you talk to her today? It’s White Day, you know, and I’m sure she’s got something for you.”

“You’re asking too many questions,” Kasumi muttered. She found what she was looking for – a convenient triple pack of pregnancy tests – and casually pulled it from the shelf.

“Whoa, whoa!” Ai grabbed hold of Kasumi’s arm then, her eyes wide and questioning. “Are you for real, Kasumi?”

“I’m for real,” Kasumi replied, and snatched her arm from her friend’s grasp. “Come on.” She began to make her way to the checkout, completely ignoring Ai’s bewildered expression. She purchased her tests, and Ai picked out some snacks for herself and Karin, and then Kasumi dragged her friend to the toilet with her.

“Do you seriously think you’re pregnant?” Ai asked once they were within the privacy of the bathroom. She leaned against the sink and faced the door, as it was a single toilet, but Kasumi still insisted that she come inside with her.

“I _know_ I’m pregnant,” Kasumi said. “I don’t really need a test to tell me, but Setsuna doesn’t know, and I want her to see the proof. Especially since she’s leaving soon…”

Ai tapped her fingernails on the sink and nodded slowly. “I’ve had that feeling before,” she said. “When you just _know_.”

“You have?” Kasumi paused in the middle of tearing open her box of tests. She remembered, of course, that Karin once _thought_ that she might be having a cub, but she surprisingly never pressed Karin nor Ai for the details, since she assumed it was a false alarm, and that Karin was just being dramatic. “What happened?” she asked, suddenly intrigued.

“Well, I was wrong,” Ai said, and laughed. “It turns out Mama gave me a contraceptive without telling me what it was. But for a while there, I was convinced I was pregnant! Poor Karin was freaking out, but she was still upset when I told her I wasn’t after all.”

There was some crinkling and shuffling, and then a brief spatter of liquid before Kasumi replied again. “Well, no one’s given me any medicine,” she said. “And I’d fight them if they did! I… I want the baby.”

It was rare to hear Kasumi admit to something so personal and so tender, and Ai couldn’t help but smile. She knew Setsuna would be over the moon as well (if a little shocked initially), but there were complications. “What are you guys gonna do about school and stuff?” Ai asked. “It’s gonna be hard to juggle school and a cub, you know. Especially when Setsuna’s leaving Tokyo.”

“I know that,” Kasumi said. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out… Damn it.” She squinted at the indicator on the stick, but the results were vague, showing neither positive nor negative for certain. She put it aside and tried a second test, emptying the rest of her bladder onto it in a desperate bid for positive results.

“It’s probably too early for the test to catch it,” Ai said when the second test eventually came back with another unclear result. “It’s only been, what, like two weeks or something? I’d wait a few more weeks and then try it again!”

“I don’t have that kind of time,” Kasumi said as she straightened her skirt out and tucked the remaining test into her little purse. “Setsuna leaves next week, and I want to tell her before then.”

Ai threw an arm about her friend as they left the store together. “Just tell her what you think anyway! You said yourself you don’t need a test to tell you, so I’m sure Setsuna will believe you even without one!”

To the pair’s surprise, when they returned to Muse’s street, Setsuna was already ahead of them, practically skipping like a little girl with a gift bag in one hand. That was no doubt a present for Kasumi (which anyone could have guessed even if it wasn’t White Day). Ai whistled for her, and Kasumi waved when she turned around.

“Oh, you guys!” Setsuna rushed towards them and caught Kasumi in a great hug. Her mate’s happy rumbles set her heart all aflutter, and she felt her cheeks heating up. “Happy White Day, Kasumi-chan, I, uh, I-I got you a present…”

Kasumi eyed the gift bag with interest. “I can see that!” she said. “You know, I’ve got a surprise for you, too. Let’s open them up and compare when we get to the house!”

“C-compare?!”

Karin and Nozomi were busy making a soup lunch when the three arrived back at the Muse pack’s home. They served up seven bowls with a side of Hanayo’s favored rice – one for each cub present and Nozomi, plus Nico and little Yuri, who were already waiting at the table. Setsuna presented her gift to Kasumi over the meal.

“I picked it out just for you,” Setsuna said proudly.

Waiting inside the bag, amidst the colorful gift tissues, was… a stuffed duck. A duck with a tiny box of white chocolates strapped to its back. Kasumi must have looked confused, because Setsuna leaned a little closer, her eyes like a sweet puppy’s, and asked her, “He’s cute, right?”

Odd animal choice aside, the duck _was_ pretty cute, with his beady little eyes and the big red heart on his chest. In fact, the longer Kasumi looked, the cuter and more meaningful the duck became, though this was perhaps a post-breeding omega brain effect. Kasumi nuzzled the toy, marking it as hers.

“Of course he’s cute,” Kasumi said. “He’s almost as cute as me! Almost!”

“Your ducky looks like my puppy,” Yuri noted, and pointed across the room at a stuffed puppy done in a similar style, white with a red heart on the chest.

“Yeah,” Nico said, “seems we did our shopping in the same place, Setsuna!” Of course, Nico always picked out gifts for both of her little omegas, along with something a little more mature for her mate. This year, she was excited to present Maki with a combination foot bath and massager, complete with a homemade meal and probably a good fucking.

“You said you had something for me, too, didn’t you?” Setsuna asked innocently, completely unaware of the chaos her lover was about to unleash on their lunch group.

“Oh, that’s right.” Kasumi’s eyes roved over everyone at the table as she considered just blurting out the news. Had any of her parents been present, she _might_ have reconsidered, but she was hungry for a little harmless drama this afternoon. “Setsuna, I’m pregnant.”

There was a brief clamor as everyone at the table (save for Ai) tried to speak at once, and Kasumi only sat there and grinned. Setsuna beside her smiled weakly and tried to giggle, though the color was very rapidly leaving her face, and her dark fur beginning to poke through her skin.

“You’re pregnant…? Hahaha, you’re so silly, Kasumi.”

Kasumi snorted. “You think I’m joking?” She reached behind her and rifled through her purse for one of her used tests. She barely had it out of the bag before Setsuna hit the floor.

When she came to, Setsuna found herself with her head in Nozomi’s lap while Nico fanned her with a stack of bills. Everything was serene for a moment, with Nozomi speaking softly to her while Nico’s fanning cooled the sweat on her face and her neck, but she jerked upright suddenly when reality at last hit her again.

“Easy, easy,” Nozomi said as she took hold of the frantic young alpha and eased her back down to a resting position. “You don’t want to pass out again.”

“But Kasumi-” Setsuna’s eyes found her mate as the fog in her brain began to clear. “Kasumi, do you mean it? You took a test…?” 

“Er, well…” Kasumi shrugged. “I was just, uh, I just wanted to scare you with the test thing. But I _know_ I’m pregnant. I can tell.”

Nico frowned disapprovingly. “Jeez, Kasumi, I feel like you should’ve at least waited for a positive test or gone to the doctor or something before dropping the news on poor Setsuna. Just look at her!”

“You’ve got to give omega senses more credit than that, Nicochi,” Nozomi said. “I knew I was pregnant both times before I did any formal testing.”

Setsuna sat upright, more slowly this time, and scooted towards Kasumi. She took her mate’s hands in her own, trembling ones. “What will we do, Kasumi? I’m leaving for school next week, and… I don’t know how I’ll… I don’t think I can… I-I…”

Kasumi removed her hands from Setsuna’s and crossed her arms over her chest, bracing herself for possible rejection. “It’s fine if you think we shouldn’t keep it,” she lied, and she felt the tension in the room rise considerably. “I mean, this probably isn’t the best time to have a baby, anyway.”

“No!” Setsuna threw her arms around Kasumi, shocking her and nearly knocking her to the floor. “I want her, Kasumi! I was just shocked, that’s all, but I’ll do anything, I-I’ll do whatever I have to do to make it work! I _want_ her.”

Their packmates looked on with warmth in their hearts at the sight of Setsuna sniveling in Kasumi’s arms. The road ahead would be a rough one, of course, and Setsuna would have to work her tail clean off at school and in a job to support her future cub, as Riko once did for Ayumu and for Setsuna herself. But even that harsh reality did not detract from the beautiful fact that she’d created a tiny new life with Kasumi. She was going to be a father! Setsuna Sakurauchi was going to be a father!

 

Leah found Ruby waiting outside the building at lunchtime, as agreed. The two normally greeted each other with nuzzle or a hug, but now, with such uncertainty hanging between them, they both stood stiff and awkward instead. Ruby’s scent was sweeter and more inviting than ever, and Leah could tell that her belly was now beginning to swell.

“It’s nice to see you, Ruby,” Leah said, and she meant it.

They stepped across the street from Leah’s workplace to get their lunch at a casual cafe there. It was noon, so naturally there were many other people there to provide background chatter, so neither felt too uncomfortable discussing their personal issues, as it was unlikely that anyone might overhear. Ruby nibbled at her sandwich, but the anxiety of finally meeting with Leah had her tummy all clenched up, and she wasn’t very hungry.

“I’m sorry for ignoring you,” Leah said after a time. “And I’m sorry for fighting with Hanamaru, too. It’s just… I mean, you’ve got to understand how overwhelming this is for me.”

“I understand,” Ruby said. “And I forgive you. None of us expected this, after all. But, um, Hanamaru and I talked about it, and… I-I know you don’t want the baby, but we decided we’re going to raise it, and we’re getting counseling now to help us work through it. So… You don’t have to do anything else, Leah. We’ll be fine.”

Leah could only stare numbly at her friend. She didn’t know what she expected, but somehow the news that Ruby and Maru were going to raise the cub themselves shocked her, and left her with a peculiar feeling in her gut. It wasn’t as though Leah was undergoing a drastic change of heart; she still considered herself woefully unprepared and unfit to be a father, and still was not quite ready to give up the many luxuries of single, cubless alphahood. No, it was raw guilt that gnawed at her – guilt that Ruby and Hanamaru were giving up _their_ lifestyle to raise _her_ cub, guilt that she could not (or would not) do the same, and, honestly, guilt for even impregnating Ruby in the first place.

“I don’t want you to think I’m abandoning you,” Leah muttered as she stirred her soup absently. “God, this is all my fault. I’m sorry for ever butting into your marriage, Ruby.”

“That’s something that all three of us agreed to,” Ruby replied. “It’s not _only_ your fault, Leah! But… I’ve been talking to Nozomi about it, too. She’s the kind of person who believes in stuff like fate. I don’t know if I totally believe in that, but it is kind of comforting to think that maybe I was meant to have this cub. You know?”

“I guess.” Leah finally sipped at her soup. It was pretty good, but nothing could really compare to Sarah’s version. “I feel bad, though. I, uh… I still want to be in your life. I don’t think a cub would want me as its papa, but… I was thinking, maybe I could get like a part-time job or something on the side. You know, to help out.”

Ruby reached across the table to take one of Leah’s hands in her own. “I’d really appreciate that,” she said. “But… Don’t you think it’s too early to say what the cub might want or not want? I’m still months away from giving birth. We don’t know what kind of cub she’ll grow into right now. I’m not trying to force you into her life or anything! But… don’t you think it’d be better just to wait and see?”

“I don’t know,” Leah admitted.

They ate the rest of their meal in tense silence. Ruby tried hard to hide her disappointment, but Leah saw right through her. It wasn’t as though she was _trying_ to hurt Ruby, or to reject the cub outright, but Leah needed more time. She’d been single most of her life, with only a handful of unsuccessful romances over the years, and now that she found herself with what she believed were genuine feelings of love, it was with a long-married woman. How on earth was she supposed to provide an example for a little one if she was still acting like a rutting young cub herself?

They said their goodbyes outside Leah’s workplace. Ruby did her best to keep her tone positive.

“Promise you’ll keep in touch, okay?” she said.

Leah promised, and the two shared another tense, uncertain moment, as they had when they first met up. When it was clear that there would be no hugs or other affection shown, Ruby simply bowed a goodbye and turned to cross the street towards home.

“Wait, Ruby.”

The little red omega turned around, and immediately found herself in Leah’s tight embrace. The alpha kissed her hair and scented her thoroughly, rumbling all the while, and Ruby was so surprised at the sudden passion that she couldn’t even think to return the hug until the moment was almost over.

“I’ll figure something out,” Leah said when she at last pulled away. “You don’t have to worry about anything, so… Yeah. Just trust me. See you later.”

She headed back to work without even waiting for Ruby’s reply. Now that she’d said it out loud, she’d be forced to follow-up on her promise to Ruby and to her future cub. Leah wasn’t parent material, and maybe she never would be, but after seeing Ruby’s hurt little face today, there was no way she could stay away for good.

 

The ride home was excruciating. Kiyoko sat in the backseat, breathing deeply as Nozomi had taught her, with blood staining her clothes, her hands, and, horrifyingly, her face. The stench of it made her want to vomit, but she took her slow breaths and swallowed hard, keeping her focus on the scent of her mother in the front seat. Nozomi at first offered to sit in the back with Kiyoko so that she could wind down easier, but Kiyoko did not want to soil her beautiful mother’s clothes with crusty, smelly blood.

The silence in the car was agonizing, perhaps even more so than the hour or more Kiyoko spent in the back of the police car, with her hands cuffed behind her and her legs bound together. Even after she’d received a significant beating, it still took four officers to restrain her, and even once she was bound up and inside the car, she thrashed and roared like a crazed beast, and perhaps, in that moment, she was. She was lost completely in her violent alpha rage until the police at last gave in to Eli’s threats and released her from the car and from her bonds, and she was taken up in Nozomi’s arms.

She didn’t quite know what sort of trouble she’d be in, and indeed her mind was not yet clear enough to fully grasp the gravity of what she’d done, but if the reflection of Eli’s cold, fierce eyes in the rearview mirror were any indication, it wasn’t going to be good.

When they arrived home, Eli sent Kiyoko straight to the bath.

“Wash up, and then go to your room,” she ordered.

“Yes, Mom.”

Rin was on the sofa with Kanata, who for once was too wound up to nap. The omega cub clung to Rin, her tail swishing with anxious energy.

“Is everything okay?” Rin asked. “Kanata told me what happened.”

Eli sank down to the cushions beside them and put her head in her hands. “I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen now,” she said. “I convinced the police to free her, but… There’s still the little boy. We don’t know if he… We don’t know his condition. His mother was hysterical.”

“They beat Kiyoko with sticks,” Kanata said. “We had to hold Sayuri because she tried to run and stop them.”

Nozomi heaved a great, shuddering sigh and pressed her face into Eli’s shoulder, and Eli held her tightly. Both were keenly aware that had Kiyoko been just a little older, a little bigger, a little stronger, the police would not have hesitated to put her down. Why wouldn’t they? She brutally attacked a defenseless little boy, putting him in the hospital with the outcome currently unknown. It was a miracle of the gods that they even let her go alive today.

After a time, Eli put on her sternest Mommy face and went to visit Kiyoko in her room. She knocked first, and was greeted with a tiny invitation to come in. Kiyoko was in her bed, wrapped up in her blanket and facing the wall, but when Eli sat down nearby, she quickly unwrapped herself and climbed into her mother’s embrace.

“Kiyoko,” Eli said, “I need you to tell me why you attacked that boy today.”

“I didn’t mean to,” Kiyoko said. “I was so mad, Mommy, I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t control what I was doing! I just did it. I really didn’t mean to!” She leaned against Eli, breathing in her cool musk, a scent which, to Kiyoko, was the very definition of safety and protection. “That boy gave Yumi a pretty White Day box, but when she opened it there was only dog food inside…”

Eli sighed. That was perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of raising little alphas – teaching them when using their brute strength is warranted and when it is not, and how to respond to beta jabs at their nature. She pressed a kiss to her cub’s forehead.

“You were right to defend Yumi, but you were very, very wrong in how you handled it,” Eli said. “You’re an alpha, Kiyoko. You’re so much stronger than beta kids, and are only going to get stronger as you grow up. It’s up to you to be responsible with your power, and part of that responsibility is to never hurt someone weaker than you. It’s okay to fight sometimes if someone’s threatening you, but what you did today was just needless violence.”

“Well, I couldn’t just let him get away with such a mean joke!” Kiyoko replied. “Besides, I already told you I didn’t mean to do it… I wasn’t trying to hurt him so bad.”

“As an alpha, you’ve got to learn to show restraint,” Eli said. “I know you can do it. I’ve _seen_ you do it – you’ve stayed calm in situations where other cubs would lose control. That’s why I’m so disappointed in you right now… But I know you’re still growing, so I can’t stay angry with you. I just want you to understand how serious this is. They could have _killed_ you for what you did. Do you realize that?”

Kiyoko’s stunned silence was answer enough, and Eli drew her closer, careful to mind the now-red and painful blotches on the cub’s skin.

“You won’t be able to go back to school,” Eli said as she gently stroked the little one’s hair. “Today’s incident was so severe that they’re going to have to expel you without a hearing, but Sakamoto-san was kind enough to arrange a personal tutor for you for the rest of the school year. I’ll figure out the rest tomorrow, so for now I just want you to rest. Okay?”

Kiyoko was silent for a time, her one green eye roving the room while she probed the scar on the other. Finally, she muttered, “Wish I wasn’t an alpha sometimes…”

Eli pulled away and regarded her sternly. “Don’t ever say that!”

“Well, it’s the truth,” Kiyoko said. “When you’re an alpha, everyone looks at you, and no one likes you, and they call you a dog and a werewolf and a monster, and a boy-girl or a fake girl. And sometimes you can’t even control your own body! I bet… I bet that if I wasn’t born an alpha, like if I was born a beta, I’d still have two eyes.”

Eli was alarmed at the bitterness of her daughter’s rant. “Don’t wish away your family and your being like that,” she said. “Wishing you were born a beta is like wishing you were never born, or wishing that Mama and I weren’t your parents. You came from me – _I_ am an alpha, and _I_ am your father, and I’m able to protect you and provide for you the way that I do because _I am an alpha_. People don’t understand us, and they might hate us, but you know what? Being an alpha is something to be proud of. You’ll understand that someday when you’re older. Now, I don’t ever want to hear those words out of your mouth again. Do you understand me?”

Kiyoko stared at the floor, frustrated tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “Yes, Mom.”

Kiyoko bundled herself back into the bed, and Eli closed the door gently behind her. It was hard to speak so harshly to her little one, but she wanted the cub to understand the severity of her actions, as well as take pride in her alphahood. She knew Kiyoko was intelligent and well-mannered, but she was still a child, and already struggling with her biology even before adolescence. Love, patience, and stern guidance were the best things Eli could offer her as she faced the obstacles ahead. She just hoped and prayed that the little boy would be alright, and that her little one would not be branded as a killer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also i can't wait for riko to beat setsuna into the next century


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i worked quickly to spit this one out bc i'm getting my wisdom teeth taken out tomorrow and prob won't be able to write for a few days so... hope you enjoy this very fast, very light Lectures: The Chapter, leave me some hot comments to read when i wake up and am actually conscious again

Kiyoko was exhausted after her ordeal, and slipped easily into sleep. Once there, though, her dreams were far from comforting. She dreamt that she was playing at the pool with Sayuri and Yumi, laughing and diving and splashing as they often do in real life, but there was a heavy feeling in the atmosphere that Kiyoko could not explain. Yumi paddled to the edge of the pool, where she pulled herself up and wrung the water from her tail.

“Do you want to see what they keep inside?” Yumi asked as she gestured towards the poolhouse.

It was a strange question, with equally strange phrasing, but it was a dream, and so the peculiarity did not even faze Kiyoko. A powerful, oppressive energy emanated from the poolhouse, and fear seized Kiyoko when she saw Yumi grab hold of the doorknob.

“Don’t open it!” she cried, but Yumi threw the door open anyway.

Naoko emerged from the poolhouse, but she wasn’t quite the Naoko from real life. Kiyoko had been very young the last time she laid eyes on Naoko, and that was half her life ago already, so this dream version of the dangerous grey alpha was even more frightening. Her shifter features were exaggerated greatly, fashioning her into a monstrous beast with an ugly, drooling snout crammed full with deadly fangs, a great hulking body, and claws akin to blades that could easily gut a little cub like Kiyoko. Naoko was a full-blown werewolf, a fantasy monster come to life, but Kiyoko knew it was her just from her awful, musky scent.

Naoko grabbed hold of Yumi in her massive claws, and Kiyoko roared with all her might. She tried desperately to paddle to the other end of the pool and rescue the little omega, but she found that she could only move in slow motion, as her limbs were like heavy weights, and it took all she had just to try and move them, much less stay afloat. The water blurred her vision and filled her ears with muffled rushing, and Kiyoko struggled to keep her head above water.

Somehow, she made it to the other end of the pool and pulled herself up. There she faced the beastly Naoko directly with a savage roar. She struck out at the massive werewolf fearlessly, spurred on by Yumi’s terrified cries. In an instant, the beast Naoko became true Naoko, exactly as Kiyoko had seen her only a split second before she met her claws. This time, though, Naoko raked through both of her eyes, blinding her completely, and Kiyoko screamed when she felt her belly being torn open. She stumbled backwards, clutching her stomach as though her hands alone could stop her insides from spilling out, and fell back into the pool.

She fought mightily against the water that now closed in on her, but her arms and legs refused to move in anything but slow motion, and her torn eyes stung and her hearing was muffled and her belly was open and water filled her mouth and her nose… 

“Kiyoko-chan! Kiyoko-chan!”

Kiyoko’s eyes snapped open and she sprang upright, snarling and sucking down great gulps of air. Maki was there, and she rubbed circles in her back and spoke gently to her, though Kiyoko was not coherent enough to understand her words until a minute or two later, when her sense at last returned and she realized she was at home, in her room, and all in one piece. To her embarrassment, though, she did find that she was still wet, and not from pool water. Maki didn’t seem to mind.

“You scared me half to death, Kiyoko,” she was saying. “I could hear you roaring all the way from downstairs. You had a bad dream, huh?”

“Yeah…” Kiyoko gripped her blanket at the memory of werewolf Naoko, and of the real Naoko. “Sorry I scared you, Maki. I haven’t had a nightmare in a long time.”

Maki pulled her from the bed and gave her a good pat. “It’s okay,” she said. “Go get cleaned up now. I’ll take care of your sheets. Alright? And when you get done, I need you to come to the store with me. I want to get the shopping done before it starts raining again.”

“Okay,” said Kiyoko. She then realized how strange it was that Maki was tending to her and not Mama or Mommy, and also how strange it was that she had to accompany Maki to the store. “Where’s Mama? Is anyone else home?”

“Your parents went to run some errands and to talk to the school about getting you a tutor,” Maki replied. “Nico’s got a shoot today, and everyone else is at work or school. So it’s just you, me, and Yuri today.”

That made sense. Kiyoko picked out some clothes and took a brief shower, one just long enough to get herself clean (she had a habit of daydreaming in the bath). It felt good to get into fresh, dry clothes, and when she returned to her room, she found Maki there using her old upholstery cleaner on the urine-soaked mattress. That cleaner had come in handy many times during Reine’s embarrassing bedwetting phase (which Reine herself forbid any of her packmates from talking about, including her parents). Kiyoko’s cheeks reddened at the situation, but Maki didn’t even bat an eye.

“Ready to go?” the red omega asked once the mattress was freshened to her liking. “I’ve got your sheets in the wash already, so…”

Kiyoko was ready, so she helped Maki buckle whiny little Yuri into her car seat, and they set off for the grocery store. Thick, dark clouds were gathering overhead, and Kiyoko guessed that they probably would not make it home before the rain came. She was right, and the rain came thunderously down on the roof of the grocery store, sparking surprised murmurs from the shoppers inside.

They browsed mostly in silence, save for Yuri’s occasional outburst whenever she saw something colorful or yummy, and Maki’s refusals to give in and buy whatever it was.

“So, Kiyoko-chan,” Maki finally said after a time, “I heard you’ve been having some troubles as an alpha.”

Kiyoko only shrugged. She didn’t really want to talk about this here, but Maki seemed insistent on a reply, so she said, “I guess I have. I just don’t like to shift, that’s all. It’s embarrassing sometimes.”

“Embarrassing?” Maki frowned at that. “Well, I get not liking to shift, I guess. Your mama doesn’t like to, either, you know. But she’s not _embarrassed_ to do it. What’s so embarrassing about it?”

“Well, I don’t like it when betas look too long or when they call us names,” Kiyoko explained. “It makes me feel bad. And also, I hate it when I lose control! It’s better if I don’t shift at all, so people will think I’m normal.”

Maki kept her expression neutral for the most part, but Kiyoko could tell by the ever-so-slight narrowing of her eyes and crinkling of her brow that she disagreed with that line of reasoning.

“So let me get this straight,” she said. “You don’t like to shift because of the way betas act when you do?”

It felt like an oversimplification, but Kiyoko supposed that was the core reason. “Yeah,” she said. “It makes me feel like I’m not… right. I don’t think Mommy understands what I mean. I tried to tell her yesterday, but she yelled at me and told me to never say it again.”

Maki sighed. Eli could be hardheaded about alpha matters sometimes, and it wasn’t that she was wrong, exactly, but what Kiyoko needed was a listening ear and a gentle hand to hold, not lectures on alpha pride. Nozomi surely understood that, but Maki knew that children weren’t always completely honest with their parents, and that parents weren’t always clear-headed when it came to their children. Thus she took it upon herself to probe Kiyoko and give her a little counseling.

“Your mom’s passionate about alphahood, for sure,” Maki said. “It might seem weird to you now, but your parents have been through a lot of stuff you don’t know about. You can take my word for it, because I was there, too. But anyway… I think you’re thinking about this the wrong way, Kiyoko. You’re just gonna stop shifting, deny that you’re an alpha, all because of what other people – _betas_ – might think of you?”

“People can be really mean, Maki,” Kiyoko said. “I don’t want people to think I’m bad, or that I’m a monster. But after what I did yesterday, everyone’s gonna think so anyway.”

There was a sadness in the cub’s voice that gripped at Maki’s heart. She drew Kiyoko close and gave her a comforting little nuzzle. “What happened yesterday was bad, and people _are_ going to react,” she said. “It sucks, but accidents like that do happen with little alphas. It’s just how things are, and it’s not your fault. What I’m saying is, denying your own nature doesn’t solve anything, and it won’t change anyone’s mind. It’s pointless, Kiyoko. People are gonna think what they’re gonna think, so the best you can do is just to live well and set a good example.”

“Yeah, but…” Kiyoko couldn’t quite find a reply, and she pressed her face into Maki’s arm while the omega perused the vegetables.

“Think about it,” Maki continued, “your mom is an alpha. She takes care of you and your mama and Karin, and she looks after the rest of the pack, too. She’s a family woman, she loves her wife and her kids, she’s got a steady job, she makes sure we all stay safe, and she’s always willing to help out. There are people out there who might not like shifters, but I don’t think anyone could ever deny that Eli is a good woman.”

“I guess that’s true,” Kiyoko replied.

This wasn’t a matter that little Kiyoko could change her mind on over the course of a single conversation (though one measly comment on her alpha tendencies could bring her down for days – insecurity is peculiar in that regard), but she did think about Maki’s words for a while even after they returned home. She did happen to realize that it wasn’t being an alpha per se that she disliked; there was hardly anything more fun than playfighting with the other cubs, or sniffing out interesting things outside, or falling asleep to the soothing scent of her mama. It was just the more troubling aspects of alphahood that bothered her, namely the lack of control and the harmful attitudes of betas, and the thought that maybe life would be easier if she wasn’t so beastlike. Perhaps Maki was right when she said that the best they could do was set an example.

This newfound spark of courage was quickly snuffed out, though, when Kiyoko accompanied Maki to the Aqours pack’s house. Sayuri was overjoyed to see Kiyoko, and tackled her nearly to the ground in a great hug.

“Kiyoko! You’re okay!” She did a happy little wiggle and nuzzled her friend with warm enthusiasm. “I was SO ready to jump those police officers yesterday when they were hurting you! Everyone sat on me, though, so I couldn’t. But, like, what happened to that kid? Is he okay? Are you gonna go back to school? Mama let me stay home today, too.”

“I’m getting expelled,” Kiyoko said with a sigh. “Mommy told me yesterday. So… I don’t think I’ll get to go to middle school with you next month.”

Sayuri was devastated at this news, and slumped dramatically to the floor with a loud and pitiful whine. Yumi came down the stairs to see what all the fuss was about, and froze when she caught sight of Kiyoko.

“Hi, Yumi-chan,” Kiyoko said, a timid edge in her voice. She hadn’t seen Yumi since the incident yesterday, and was embarrassed to face her after such a violent outburst. “Are you okay?”

Yumi didn’t reply immediately, and instead stared at her with open suspicion, and, if Kiyoko wasn’t mistaken, a hint of fear, as well. Finally, after what felt like an age, she said, “I’m not playing with you anymore.”

Kiyoko’s near-instantaneous heartbreak couldn’t have been any more obvious to the others in the room. “Why not?” she asked, though she already knew the answer. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I just had a bad shift…”

“You were just like my old papa yesterday,” Yumi said. “I thought you were a good alpha, Kiyoko.”

“Hey!” Maki butted in. “You shouldn’t say things like that, Yumi-chan. Kiyoko is still trying to control her shifts.”

“I can’t talk to her,” Yumi replied, and then marched herself back up the stairs to her room.

Kiyoko was horrified at being compared to Naoko – an alpha who truly did deserve the title of monster – and she couldn’t hold back her tears. She slumped down onto the couch beside Sayuri’s mama and tried hard not to cry out loud. Mari pulled her into a motherly embrace and kissed her forehead.

“There now, _darling cub_ ,” Mari said. “Yumi-chan has a lot of trouble with alphas and violence and things like that. I’m sure she’ll accept you again if you just give her some time and some space!”

Mari and Yoshiko got Kiyoko settled down after a while, and left Sayuri to cuddle with her while they made lunch. The youngest little cubs, Yuri and Nanaka, played nearby, and Riko and Maki could be heard playing piano together in the music room. It was still raining heavily outside, and Yoshiko was growing anxious.

“Setsuna should’ve been home by now,” she said to Mari.

As if on cue, the lock on the front door clicked open, and Setsuna stepped inside, soaking wet and looking rather emotionally destroyed. A soggy bag from Homura was in her hand, and she held it up weakly for all to see.

“I’m back,” she said in a voice that sounded about as dejected as she looked.

“Oh, jeez! Setsuna!” Yoshiko hurried over and took the bag from her cub, and gave her drenched sleeve a disapproving pinch. “Bet you’ll listen next time when I tell you not to go out on such a gloomy day, huh?”

“Yes, Mama.” Setsuna knew her mother meant well, and that she _was_ right, after all, so the jab did not bother her. Actually, not much could bother her when she still had to drop the news of Kasumi’s pregnancy onto her parents. Any other problems were like spring breezes in comparison. “Also, um… I really need to, uh, talk to you and Riri about, um… something. In private. Please?”

“Okay, that’s fine, but Riri is having a session with Maki today,” Yoshiko said. “Can it wait until tonight or no?”

Setsuna shook her head no. If she waited any longer she might drop dead from the anxiety of it all. So Setsuna changed into dry clothes, and then she sat at her desk in her room and waited for her parents to come up, which they did in short order. They seated themselves on her bed with concerned expressions on their faces, and Setsuna thought her heart might explode.

“What’s wrong, Setsuna-chan?” Riko asked. “You look pale. Are you sick? Did something bad happen?”

“Er, well… Not _bad_ exactly, but…” Setsuna avoided her parents’ eyes and picked nervously at the fabric of her skirt. The loud drumming of the rain on the roof somehow made the pause even more unbearable. “M-Mama, Riri… Yesterday, I found out that… I-I found out…” She tried to keep the quaver out of her voice, but it was impossible. “I found out that… I’m… I’m going to be a papa!”

She turned her eyes timidly up to check her parents’ reactions. Their faces turned from concern to shock in an instant, and then, in Riko’s case, slowly morphed into stern disappointment.

“You’re serious? You’re sure?” Riko asked. Yoshiko rubbed her back to try and calm the storm that was no doubt building inside of her mate, but it was far too late.

“Well, it’s still early, but Kasumi told me she just knows for sure,” Setsuna said. “I believe her, anyway. She’s been acting weird. A-anyway, uh, we, uh… We want the cub, so…”

Riko closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “And what about school? Did you think about that?” she asked sharply. “Honestly, Setsuna, I’m disappointed in you. I spent all those years trying to teach you, and prepare you, because I knew one day you’d find an omega you wanted to be with, and I didn’t want you to end up in the same situation I did. And now you’re… Did all of my advice mean nothing to you? My experience? You don’t even know what it _is_ to raise a cub.”

Setsuna was shrinking very rapidly into her chair, and Yoshiko tried to defend her. “Riko, stop. She’s trying to take responsibility.”

But Riko wasn’t done. “I gave up my comfortable cubhood to support Ayumu, and I worked my tail off at my job during college to support you, too! It was different back then, we weren’t part of a pack yet, so we didn’t have the kind of support we do today. Do you have any idea how hard it was to stay sane working basically around the clock with school, work, and a baby cub? _Everything_ I’ve ever done has been for you and your sister. I wanted you to have an easy life! And now…” Riko bowed her head, fighting her shift.

Setsuna took the scolding gracefully for the most part, though her hands trembled and tears pricked at her eyes. When it seemed Riko was finally done, she spoke, and tried to keep her voice even. “I knew you were going to be upset, Riri,” she said. “And I know I messed up and did what you always told me not to do, but… it’s too late now. I just… couldn’t control myself, I couldn’t think clearly. But it’s already happened, and we want to raise the cub. I-I know things were hard for you, Riri, and it’s not that I think it’ll be easy! But… we _do_ have packs to support us. I’ve got you and Mama, and all of Aqours, and Kasumi has her parents and Muse. So… I’m going to do the best that I can, even while I go to school.”

Both Riko and Yoshiko were impressed at how articulate their shy little cub managed to come across. Yoshiko supported her wholeheartedly – as her mother, how could she not?

“You’re doing the right thing, Setsuna,” she said. “I’ll help my little monster in any way I can!”

Riko took longer to reply, and Setsuna feared that perhaps she would reject her, but after a brief time, Riko at last managed to control her breathing and stand up. “Setsuna…”

Setsuna stood up as well, and found herself wrapped tightly in Riko’s arms. Riri kissed her and rumbled her affection, and Setsuna returned the hug gratefully, relieved to still have her love.

“You’re a good alpha, Setsuna,” Riko said. “I’m still upset, but… I admit that I’m impressed with the alpha you’ve become. Not everyone your age would drop everything so easily to raise a cub. I know it was hard for me.” She pulled back and held Setsuna by the shoulders, taking in the sight of the grown alpha before her. “Maybe I was too hard on you, I don’t know. I just want you to make responsible choices. But… no matter what, I’m still proud to call you my daughter.”

For once, timid little Setsuna believed her.

 

Karin and Ai rocked their bodies together with hungry passion, their hearts alight with the natural fires of young alpha- and omegahood. For the first time in their lives, they were out on their own as a couple, if only for a few days, and the rush of it all saw them cuddling and playfighting and making love for most of the day rather than sightseeing as planned. Not that it mattered too much – a few days of uninterrupted snuggling and sex was just as enjoyable.

Their mating session concluded with a series of happy grunts and rumbles, after which Karin was content to rest on top of her omega and take in her sweet and sunny scent. Ai ran her fingers through Karin’s silky fur, and she couldn’t help but reminisce on their very first mating, when they were just barely out of baby cubhood. They’d laid together like this, both absolutely blissed out, until Karin spooked herself with the idea of having created a new cub and ran home. This time (and many other times since then), Karin wasn’t going anywhere, and they stayed like that for so long that Ai wondered if Karin had fallen asleep.

“Hey, Ai,” Karin said as she at last sat up, pulling Ai from her thoughts. “Do you wanna go for a little walk? I think the rain’s stopped now.”

Ai agreed, and so the pair of them quickly washed up and dressed, and left the Takami family inn arm-in-arm. Staying with Chika’s family was an affordable and economical choice – far, far cheaper than staying at the Ohara hotel would have been, even with Mari’s discount. The view from the humble ryokan was still spectacular, though, as it was right on the beach.

“It’s hard to believe I used to live here,” Ai said as they made their way across the wet sand. “It’s hard to remember everything, you know? I was so little then! But I do remember Papa taking me swimming with Ayumu and Setsuna. Well, Setsuna was scared of the water, so Riko had to hold her. Hehe!” They reached the end of the little dock and stood staring out at the ocean beneath the still-grey and rapidly-darkening sky.

“That’s just like Setsuna, though, isn’t it?” Karin said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, I guess it is!” Ai twined her fingers with her mate’s and studied the waves thoughtfully. “Weird to think she’s having a cub with Kasumi, huh? I mean, they _just_ mated for the first time, like… a few weeks ago. And now this!”

“We thought the same thing when we first mated,” Karin reminded her.

“Okay, yeah, but it didn’t actually happen,” Ai said. “This is actually happening! I mean, I’m happy for them and all, it just seems so weird… Guess we really are just growing up! I don’t know if I could handle that kind of, y’know, responsibility and commitment and stuff.”

Karin nudged her gently. “Oh? Don’t you want to have cubs someday, though?”

Ai flashed her a great, big smile. “Only if it’s with you,” she said, and gave her alpha a peck.

Karin gazed at her, completely taken with the beauty in her bright energy. Even a dreary evening like this couldn’t stand up to her natural radiance, and that was something that Karin loved about her. Her heart began to pound, as this was the perfect moment to make her marriage proposal (though she’d been imagining more pleasant weather). Ai mistook her silence and her affectionate eyes for arousal, and drew her closer.

“Man! You’re getting spicy again already, huh, Karin-chan?” She placed her hands on Karin’s hips and gave her a sexy little smirk, but Karin stopped her from going any further.

“Wait, Ai.”

Ai watched with a glint of curiosity in her eyes as the adorably rosy-cheeked Karin stepped back and stood tall. Karin, meanwhile, fought hard to keep her nerves in check; why should she be nervous, after all? This was the omega she loved, the omega she’d _always_ loved, and who’d always loved her. Still, it was a big step, and Karin felt the nervous energy burning in her gut.

“Ai… I’ve been thinking lately,” Karin said. The breeze was picking up, and she gently brushed away the hair that blew into her mate’s eyes. “I’ve been thinking about how you’re leaving this fall, and about how we’re gonna be apart for months at a time. And I keep worrying that… You know, maybe you’ll find another alpha while you’re in Italy, or maybe your feelings will fade away because we’ll be apart so much.”

Ai was quick to reassure her lover. “Oh, Karin! You don’t ever have to worry about that!” she said. “I _love_ you. I’d never dream of leaving you! Never ever! I mean, we’ve been together so long, I don’t know what in the world I’d even do without you!”

Karin held her close and kissed her softly. “I feel the same way,” she said. “But lately, I’ve been thinking that… that before you leave, I want to make you mine in a different way.” Ai responded only with an interested and slightly-confused stare, so Karin continued. “Ai, before you go… I want to marry you. I want to make you my wife!”

It took several heart-pounding moments for Karin’s words to really sink in, and when they did, Ai’s fur began to come through in ripples.

“Karin!” she cried. “You’re serious? You’re just gonna propose to me right here?!”

Karin nodded earnestly, and Ai threw her head back and let out a great gust of laughter. Karin seemed a little worried at first, but Ai then threw herself at her alpha and hugged her tight, nearly sending them both over the edge and into the water.

“Karin-chan! Of course I’ll marry you!” Ai declared. “You’re my alpha!”

Karin lifted her up and spun her around, whooping and howling with delight even as the clouds began to drizzle on them again. They shared a fiery kiss, and Karin felt like she could probably go for another round back in their room. Ai seemed to feel much the same way, because once she was back on her feet, she stepped back and gave Karin those classic bedroom eyes.

“Race you back to the room,” she said, and, with a fiendish giggle, shoved Karin – her soon-to-be wife – into the waves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw on a scale of 0-10 how much do you think eli's cowboy dominatrix outfit turns nozomi on


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> writing all this wrap-up fluff is killing me but i'm trying to make it! thank yall as always for reading and commenting, i love u so much

Riko stayed hard on Setsuna’s tail in the months that followed. She knew her daughter was responsible enough to balance work and school on her own, but with the stakes higher than ever, Riko wouldn’t allow any slip-ups. Setsuna, who was attending university in Kyoto as her sister had, was able to secure employment at the Ohara hotel there thanks to Mari’s generosity. She worked evenings there as a receptionist, and traffic often slowed enough towards the end of her shift that she managed to get some of her schoolwork done, as well. It was a tidy arrangement, for sure, but the constant cycle of school-work-sleep wore on her, and sometimes the only thing that kept her running at all was the thought of Kasumi’s growing belly.

It was Friday afternoon when she took the long train ride back home. The familiar scent of her pack eased her frazzled nerves with a dreamy sort of comfort, and she was content to spend the evening curled up with her mama. Yoshiko was just fine with that, and held her and cuddled her like she was still a little baby.

“I missed you so much, Mama,” Setsuna said. “Are you sure we shouldn’t be with Ruby right now?”

“She’ll be fine,” Yoshiko assured her. “She’s got Hanamaru with her, and Dia, too. We’d just be crowding her if we showed up.”

“Oh… What about Leah?”

Yoshiko frowned. “They tried contacting Leah, but she hasn’t called back or answered any of their messages,” she said. “But, like I said, all Ruby really needs is Maru and Dia. She’ll be alright.”

Ruby surely _would_ be alright, but the situation still rubbed Setsuna the wrong way. “I couldn’t imagine not being there when my baby is born,” she said. “Riri was there when I was born, wasn’t she?”

“Yeah, she was, and she was causing a scene, too,” Yoshiko said with a chuckle. “I was having a hard time with the pain, and Riri was shifted and yelling at every nurse and doctor in the room. Like that was gonna help!”

A buzz and a twinkling little tune from Setsuna’s phone interrupted their conversation, and Setsuna was delighted to see Kasumi’s picture on the screen. She answered it promptly to the sounds of dinnertime at Muse’s house.

“Hey!” came Kasumi’s voice over the background chatter. “Are you coming over or what? I made your favorite, and you’re still late!”

“Oh, uh…” Setsuna glanced at the clock on the wall, and felt a wave of guilt at having let time slip away from her. “Sorry! I’m on my way now. I just got caught up talking to Mama!”

Setsuna left her mother with a hug and a kiss and then set off for Muse’s house. It was late August now, and still unforgivably hot and humid, even this late in the day. She was sweaty enough by the time she arrived at the Muse pack’s home that practically all of the cleanliness from her shower earlier was wiped out, and she was embarrassed to sit at the table knowing she probably smelled like a musty old dog.

“Oh, Setsuna-chan!” It was Kotori who greeted her at the door and not, thankfully, someone like Umi. Kasumi’s sweet and pretty mama had been wonderfully understanding about the whole pregnancy matter, and very graciously offered to set aside a small amount of every paycheck for baby necessities until the little one arrived. That reaction was worlds different from Honoka’s, and whole galaxies different from Umi’s.

Now, Honoka wasn’t exactly angry at the news; she was actually rather happy to be the first of the pack to be welcoming a grandcub. But she did have certain rules and requirements for behavior that Setsuna was expected to adhere to as Kasumi’s mate and as the future cub’s father, which also happened to align perfectly with Riri’s expectations, so there was hardly an issue there. Setsuna was just glad to escape any Papa Alpha threats, which would have been especially terrifying coming from such a cheerful and easygoing alpha as Honoka (Setsuna was also certain that if Karin and Ai ever decided to have cubs, Karin wouldn’t be nearly so lucky).

It was Umi who caught Setsuna by surprise. She knew Umi to be the hardest and strictest of Kasumi’s parents, and it was to be expected that she might dish out a stern talking-to when Kasumi’s pregnancy was revealed. But Setsuna never expected Umi to pull her aside, alone, at night, and threaten her very life.

“If I suspect for even a second that you’re thinking about abandoning my daughter or my grandcub, or if you’re mistreating her, by the gods, Setsuna, I swear I will tear you limb from limb,” Umi told her that night on the back deck, her normally warm amber eyes like cold stones. “I’m an archer; one of my arms is worth the strength of four of yours. So just remember that.”

“Yes ma’am!” was Setsuna’s squeaky reply. That was months ago now, and things seemed to have gone back to normal with Umi, as the blue omega often greeted her with a polite smile, and even shared scents with her sometimes, and Setsuna wondered if she even remembered that night. Even if Umi forgot her own threats, Setsuna _never_ could, and made sure to be on her best behavior always (not that she’d ever leave Kasumi behind, but it was better that there were no misunderstandings whatsoever).

On this evening, the entire Muse family was gathered around the table and all, including Umi, welcomed Setsuna into her place beside Kasumi. Kasumi herself looked absolutely gorgeous with her glowing skin and her rounder-than-ever belly, and the scent of her after weeks apart set Setsuna’s heart all aflutter. They greeted each other with a tight hug and happy rumbles.

“Sit down, sit down,” Kasumi urged her. “I made your favorite dinner, okay? Also! I have a special surprise for you, too! Be right back!”

Kasumi went briefly into the other room, and returned with a portfolio, which she handed off to Setsuna. Setsuna flipped it open, and was delighted to find several ultrasound images inside. She was so taken with them that she failed to notice the combination of fond and amused looks she was getting from the other pack members.

“I went for my second ultrasound last week,” Kasumi said. “We weren’t able to tell the sex of the baby at the first one, but… Look here. See her head? She’s cute, right? And her little fists! But, uh, let’s see… This one. See? The tech said she’s almost a hundred percent certain we’re having a little omega!”

Setsuna’s hands flew to her mouth. “An omega!” Visions of the years to come hit her like the happiest party train in the Milky Way. In just a few short months, she was going to be the papa of a tiny, helpless omega girl, and it was going to be her utmost alpha responsibility to keep the cub safe for the rest of forever.

“Aww, Setsuna!” Karin grabbed her friend and assaulted her with rough, alpha-style affection. “Don’t start crying, now!”

“I-I’m not…!” Setsuna insisted, but she most definitely _was_ crying.

The pack spent the rest of the meal swapping their best parenthood stories, and Nozomi in particular was bent on embarrassing every cub present. Setsuna found the tales both funny and encouraging, and it warmed her heart to know that even while she was away at school, her daughter would be safe and sound and happy with the Muse pack.

It was shortly after dinner, when the pack was lounging about in the living area, that Ai received a very important phone call from her mother. She stepped outside briefly to accept the call, and when she returned, she could hardly contain her excitement.

“Hey, everybody!” she cried. “Listen, listen! Ruby finally had her baby!”

A great and happy cry rose up from the pack at the news. The birth of a new cub always meant a giant family gathering with lots of food and fun and gift-giving. Nozomi remembered when Karin was born, and how they’d had a simple scenting ceremony at home, and her packmates gifted her with mounds of diapers. They’d done the same when Kasumi was born. Now, their family was joined with Aqours, and every birth was a huge party. It’d been particularly fun when Hanayo, Mari, and then herself all gave birth in quick succession; they decided to do individual scenting ceremonies, and then had one massive celebration once all three cubs were finally present.

“Are we gonna go baby shopping, Mama?” Kiyoko asked excitedly. There was something about all the tiny clothing and gentle colors and cute little toys that she loved.

“Yes! In fact, why don’t we head out now?” Nozomi said. “I’m sure we can nab a few things before it’s time for the shops to close up.”

Kiyoko and Ai cheered at that, but Eli waggled her finger at her young cub. “Wait a minute,” she said. “Have you finished your schoolwork for today?”

Kiyoko nodded. She’d been expelled from school after her violent attack on the young boy who bullied Yumi, but thankfully the boy survived his injuries, and Kiyoko’s parents and the boy’s were able to come to a peaceful agreement on compensation without involving the courts. Since then, rather than attending school in another district, Kiyoko fulfilled her educational requirements with a combination of self-study and the help of a tutor, who was none other than Erena Kira, the mate of Tsubasa Kira and the mother of Ryo, Karin’s middle school friend. The time away from school coupled with the healthy support of her parents and Erena left Kiyoko in a more reasonable state of mind.

“Oh, leave her alone, Elicchi,” Nozomi said, and gave her mate a playful nudge. “A cub was born! It’s time to celebrate!”

Everyone who wanted to take part in the shopping trip quickly found their clothes and their shoes, and they were on their merry way. Kasumi in particular was delighted at the prospect of baby shopping, and she pulled Setsuna from aisle to aisle, rack to rack, squealing at how small everything was.

“Ah, don’t get carried away!” Setsuna cried when she noticed how quickly their shopping cart was filling up. “We’re shopping for Ruby, remember? We only need to get her a few good gifts, not everything in the store!”

“I know that,” Kasumi snapped. “But we can get our own baby shopping done now, too! Then, when she comes, we won’t even have to worry about it!”

Setsuna sighed. “Your mama has money set aside for us to go shopping for our own baby,” she said. “Besides, the pack will shop for us. You’ve heard of a registry, right?”

“I knooow, but…”

There really was no arguing with stubborn Kasumi, but Setsuna managed somehow, and convinced her mate to hold off on the mountain of baby supplies that was very rapidly forming in their cart. It struck her as rather unusual, since Kasumi didn’t really seem like the type to go gaga over babies or baby accessories, but Setsuna chalked it up to pregnancy brain and left it at that.

They left the store with a tasteful amount of practical gifts for Ruby and Hanamaru – diapers and onesies and little baby socks, blankets and pacifiers and gentle cub wash. Setsuna and Kasumi walked a little ways behind the rest of the family, their joined hands swinging between them. Setsuna missed the feeling and the scent of her mate beside her when she was away at school, and honestly, she sometimes considered just switching schools and returning to Tokyo, but she wasn’t sure if Riri would approve of that, considering the gravity of her scholarship.

Kasumi gasped suddenly and pulled her hand from Setsuna’s, instead holding them to her stomach. Setsuna’s fur broke through instantly as raw fear spread in her chest. She grabbed hold of Kasumi’s shoulders, her heart pounding.

“What’s wrong?!”

Kasumi gently took one of Setsuna’s hands and pressed it to her belly. “Stop freaking out,” she said. “Can you feel her kicking?”

Setsuna took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart, and focused her attention on the spot Kasumi was holding her hand. After a few moments, she felt it – just a faint little bump beneath her palm. Kasumi had been experiencing these movements for a little while, but this was the first time Setsuna had felt her unborn daughter kick, and she felt yet another lump forming in her throat.

“You’re so dramatic!” Kasumi laughed when she caught the glint of tears in Setsuna’s eyes. She took great joy in teasing her mate, but there was also something irresistibly sexy about such a loving, sensitive alpha papa, and she’d have to make sure that devotion didn’t go unrewarded when they got home.

 

It was half-past eight when Hanamaru decided to retire to the uncomfortable little fold-out bed in the corner of the hospital room. Ruby bid her good night, but she knew it’d be a while before she herself would be able to sleep. Giving birth had been a long, painful, exhausting ordeal, and yet Ruby found herself strangely alert as the evening wore on. Perhaps it was the unfamiliar and unpleasantly sterile scent of the hospital that kept the drowsiness at bay, or perhaps it was the tiny little cub she was now responsible for.

Or, perhaps what really kept her senses alight and her chest tight was the cold fact that visitation ended in half an hour and the cub’s father was still nowhere to be seen.

“Just lay down, Ruby,” Hanamaru mumbled from her cocoon of scratchy hospital blankets. “I don’t think Leah’s coming, zura.”

“I guess not.” Ruby stared down at the cub resting peacefully in her arms and felt a piercing sadness in her heart. The baby omega was sweet, and innocent, and completely oblivious to the fact that her father had broken her promise and abandoned her. Between her scarce visits before and her complete absence now, it was plain that Leah wasn’t really interested in getting to know her child. Ruby knew that she and Hanamaru were more than capable of bringing the child up themselves, especially with the support of their pack, but Ruby also realized that one day her baby would grow up and wonder why her parents were both omegas, and why her scent was nothing like Hanamaru’s.

“Ruby?”

A voice broke through Ruby’s depressive fantasy, and she was both alarmed and delighted to see Leah step into the room.

“Leah!” she squeaked. “You came!” She glanced at the clock, which now read ten minutes till nine.

Leah wrung her hands together and shrugged. “Sorry I’m so late,” she said. “I just got caught up in some things, that’s all. So, um… I’m sorry.” She eyed the little bundle in Ruby’s arms warily.

“Do you want to hold her?” Ruby asked, and passed the cub to Leah when she gave a small nod.

Time seemed to stop when Leah took the baby in her arms and her little eyes fluttered open. The cub was much like a tiny version of Ruby, though her downy fur was a much deeper color thanks to Leah’s contribution. She was all Ruby in looks, but when Leah bent to nuzzle her and take in her scent, she found that the cub’s scent was strikingly similar to her own. The little one made a noise that was halfway between a baby gurgle and a tiny growl, and that sealed the deal for good – Leah was completely in love.

“What’s her name?” she asked Ruby.

“We decided to name her Emma, after our counselor,” Ruby replied. “Our marriage might not have survived without Emma-san’s help, so…”

“I see.”

Leah stayed holding Emma for a long time, reveling in the incredible fact that she’d taken part in _creating_ the little cub. All her insecurities regarding her adequacy as a father that had been gnawing quietly at her guts for the last several months came rushing back in a fresh wave, and she tried to hide her welling tears by pressing her face into the furry baby.

“What’s wrong?” Ruby asked, as Leah’s attempt to conceal her distress was not successful.

“I really don’t deserve this baby,” Leah admitted. She gave the cub one final nuzzle and a kiss to the forehead before passing her back to Ruby.

“Of course you do!” Ruby insisted. “You’re still being too hard on yourself, Leah. It’s not like I have everything figured out, either, you know, but I’m going to do my best for Emma. Even if we make mistakes, she’s going to love us no matter what, because we’re her parents and part of her pack. That’s what Dia told me. So… I don’t think we should worry too much.”

“Yeah… Sarah told me something similar,” Leah said. “It’s just… _Seeing_ the baby now, it’s like… I don’t know. It’s just a lot to take in.” She reached out and stroked the drowsing Emma’s soft red fur, and a tiny smile tugged at her lips. “I should get going now. I’ll come visit you again tomorrow, alright? You should get some rest.”

Leah bent to kiss the cub once more, and then raised her head to come face-to-face with Ruby. The tension was agonizingly thick as their eyes met, and Leah licked her dry lips in anticipation. She’d kissed Ruby many times in the past, and was always delighted with just how pure her friend could be. They might have engaged in some rather _interesting_ activities, but Ruby was hardly a dirty girl, and that innocent aspect of her that remained even as middle age approached really tugged at Leah’s heart.

It was a gentle snore from the great lump of blankets nearby that pulled Leah back down to earth, and chased away the fantasy of kissing Ruby. She settled for a soft nuzzle instead, for which Ruby seemed deeply relieved, and then she was on her way home. The streets were annoyingly busy even at such a late hour, as it was Friday night, but there was a warmth in Leah’s chest that kept her mood light even as she braved the crowd.

Perhaps on another night she might have paid closer attention to the women she passed, and searched out a pretty omega or a willing beta to keep her cock happy for the night, but not this time. A sense of duty sat solid in her chest now, and she went straight home with nary a thought of bringing a bed partner with her. Sarah apparently had other plans, however.

The apartment reeked of alpha sex when Leah returned. She could hear the TV faintly, and the unmistakable voices of her sister and Dia, who went silent when the door clicked shut. Leah kicked off her shoes, but she didn’t dare step into the living area for fear of burning the image of her rutting sister into her eyeballs.

“Is that you, Leah?” Sarah called from around the corner. “Don’t come in yet.”

“It’s me,” Leah replied. “You guys stink.”

After a series of shuffling noises, Sarah gave Leah the okay, and the younger alpha stepped into the room, where Sarah was sitting awkwardly on the sofa and Dia was avoiding all eye contact. Leah wasn’t apologetic at all about opening the window to air the place out.

“Sorry,” Sarah said. “We didn’t think you’d be home for a while, so…”

“Uh, you don’t have to explain,” Leah said. “I don’t want to know.”

“There’s dinner in the fridge for you,” Dia said, desperate to change the subject. “Also, I take it you finally went to visit the baby? What did you think?”

The fresh memory of baby Emma’s fuzzy face and sleepy blue eyes sent yet another tingle of joy through her body. “Yeah I did,” she said. “It’s… a weird feeling. I mean, it’s a good feeling! But, well, it’s hard to explain.”

Dia looked rather smug at that admission. “I told you it’d be like that,” she said. “It was the same for me when Sayuri was born. Once I finally saw her and knew that she was mine, well… I loved her right away, and my priorities got a massive shift. So, who knows? Maybe having a daughter will be good for you, Leah.”

Leah turned to Dia with a warning growl. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m saying you need to grow up,” Dia replied, completely unfazed by Leah’s threat. “Honestly, for someone in her forties, you sure still act like a rutty buck.”

Sarah came quickly to her sister’s defense. “Leave her alone, Dia,” she said. “Leah just has trouble connecting with people sometimes. Right?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Leah muttered. She crossed her arms tightly and turned her attention to the sights and sounds beyond the open window. “You’ve got no room to lecture me, anyway, Dia. It’s not like you’ve never gotten somebody else’s omega pregnant or anything.”

Leah glanced back just long enough to catch Dia’s pursed lips and flared nostrils, and she was content to leave the brewing argument there. The room was brimming with alpha tension now, but Leah ignored it, and nipped off to the kitchen to warm up her dinner. She didn’t need Dia’s condescension – she was a grown alpha, and she could do as she pleased, and what pleased her tonight was kicking back with her laptop and her dinner and shopping for her baby girl.

 

Ruby was released from the hospital the following day. She couldn’t bear to ride in the front seat when little Emma was buckled in the back, so she spent the ride home with her head leaning over the car seat, watching her baby sleep. She was still processing the fact that she was a mother now, like all the other omegas in her pack – Mama rather than just Aunt Ruby – and the reality of it brought a tear to her eye. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding her birth, Emma was beautiful, and perfect, and she was Ruby’s.

The whole of both Aqours and Muse were waiting to greet Emma and the new parents when they arrived home. Everyone, adults and children alike, delicately passed the baby cub around and shared scents with her, officially welcoming her into the pack. Emma handled the family ceremony with surprising grace for a newborn cub, until she reached Kanan’s arms and squealed with fear at the pack’s most potent alpha musk. Most of the members had a chuckle at that, except for Ruby, who found herself across the room and retrieving the baby before she even realized what her body was doing.

“You’re too stinky for her, Kanan-chan,” Mari teased.

“I am not stinky!” Kanan insisted.

Ruby soothed the cub, and then allowed her to continue her journey around the room, until at last she was thoroughly scented by her new family and safe in Ruby’s arms once more.

“She’s just darling, Ruby-chan,” Nozomi said as she tickled under the baby’s chin and delighted in the tiny growls that followed. “She looks just like you, too.”

Dia agreed. “I should dig out our baby pictures sometime,” she said. “She really does look exactly like Ruby did as a cub.”

Eli leaned lovingly into Nozomi and gave her a sweet nuzzle. “Aw, Nozomi, don’t you wish we had a little omega sometimes?”

“Don’t you start talking like that, Elicchi,” Nozomi replied. “I don’t think your heart could have handled an omega, anyway. We have two alpha girls, and that’s _all_ we need. If you want an omega, you’ll just have to wait for some grandcubs to come around. Isn’t that right, little cub?” She turned a smug gaze to Karin, whose cheeks instantly began to burn.

Mari was all on board for teasing Karin, and she clapped her hands together. “Oh, Karin-chan! Are you going to give us our first grandcub?”

Karin was keenly aware of Kanan’s eyes boring two holes directly into her soul. “Uh, well… In the future, maybe? That’s not something we’ve really, uh… talked about. Yet. So...”

The packs enjoyed much cheerful banter and catching up that morning; it was rare, after all, that every member of the pack was able to be together at once. The cubs soon grew restless with all the adult talk going on, so Kanan shooed them outside to play, and when baby Emma began to fuss from a hungry tummy, most of the pack followed to give Ruby privacy and the baby some peace. Kasumi and Setsuna remained inside to help Ruby and Maru, as they’d be in the same situation in just a few short months.

Sarah and Leah arrived not long afterward, and after Sarah shared scents with the baby and delivered her gifts, she went outside to look for Dia, leaving Leah alone. Leah gratefully took the baby into her arms and kissed her and scented her and spoke softly to her, and Ruby was moved at the display of affection that was so unlike Leah. Hanamaru, meanwhile, watched Leah like a hawk, her body tense and ready to spring should something go wrong, but it never did.

“Leah,” Maru said after a time, “do you mind if we go outside for a bit, zura?”

Leah agreed, though she feared Hanamaru was about to say something unsavory to her. She passed Emma back to Ruby, and then followed Hanamaru not out the back door, where the party was, but out the front, where they could speak one-on-one.

“Thanks for showing up,” Hanamaru said. “I was starting to think you abandoned Ruby. When was the last time you visited again? Three, four months ago?”

Leah bowed her head. “I’ve been a coward,” she said. “I don’t have an excuse, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

Hanamaru frowned and tapped her fingers on the porch railing. “I expect a full commitment if you want to be a part of Emma’s life,” she said. “I wont’ let you half-tail it. She doesn’t deserve that. Either you’re in or you’re out.”

“I’m in,” Leah declared. “I mean that. I’m in.”

“Well, I hope you’re telling the truth this time,” Hanamaru said. She gazed at Leah, whose face was the picture of determination, and let herself relax a little. “By the way, you should know that just because I’m letting you into the cub’s life doesn’t mean I’m letting you back into the bed. You understand, right? You’ve gotta let go, zura.”

“Ruby has made that very clear to me,” Leah replied. It hurt knowing that she was the reason for her closest friends’ nearly-crumbling marriage, but, perhaps selfishly, it hurt more knowing that Ruby’s love was forever off the table (if it was ever _on_ the table).

Hanamaru accepted that answer, and they spent a few more moments in tense silence before Hanamaru finally offered her hand to Leah.

“If you shake, it’s a promise,” she said. “If you don’t, you’ll have to leave.”

Leah chose to shake.

 

In the backyard, Sayuri was absolutely mesmerized by the sight of Nozomi in her swimsuit. The purple omega sat on the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in, watching the cubs play, and Sayuri spent quite a while chatting her up with her front pressed suspiciously close to the water jet. This didn’t escape Kiyoko’s notice, as she may have been young, but she was still an alpha, and she was very much aware of the uniquely delightful sensations induced by the pool jets.

“Sayuri-chan? Why don’t you go and play, love?” Nozomi asked, and gestured to the other cubs splashing and having a good time on the other side of the pool. “Kiyoko’s looking pretty lonely, don’t you think?”

“Oh, it’s fine, I was just, uh, keeping you company until Eli-san gets back!” Sayuri lied. Her fidgeting was reaching critical levels now, even if she thought she was being discreet.

Eli arrived back then with a couple of Mari’s cocktails for herself and Nozomi. “What are you doing, Sayuri?” she asked, deeply suspicious of the cub’s excessive squirming and now-emerging fur. “Is there something wrong? Did you need to use the bathroom?”

“No, I’m just… swimming!” Sayuri assured her, but her suddenly white knuckles and contorted, furry face said it all. Nozomi erupted into giggles as she realized what was happening to the silly little cub, and Sayuri, embarrassed, kicked away from the wall and paddled over to the appalled Kiyoko.

“What the heck were you thinking, doing the weenie jet right next to my mama?!” Kiyoko asked her in a hushed but definitely frantic tone.

“The jets feel really good when I’m looking at Nozomi-san,” was Sayuri’s matter-of-fact answer. Kiyoko, who was a little more knowledgeable about sex topics, could have died.

“Okay, well, I’m hungry, so I’m gonna go get food,” Kiyoko said as she climbed out of the pool and away from her shamelessly innocent friend. “Do you want anything?”

“Nah! I wanna swim for a while!”

Kiyoko went to the patio, where Mari was busy setting out platters of finger foods for the packs to snack on, and there she met with Yumi. It’d been months since the incident at school, and while Yumi no longer actively avoided her, there was still a cold wall between them, and Kiyoko hated it. She constantly cursed herself for overreacting that day and tainting their once-warm friendship.

“Hi, Yumi,” Kiyoko said, a tentative edge in her voice.

“Oh… Kiyoko.” Yumi turned to her with a guarded sort of expression that Kiyoko couldn’t quite place. 

There were so many things that Kiyoko wanted to say to Yumi, and questions she wanted to ask, but none seemed completely appropriate given the chill between them now, and she found herself awkwardly silent instead.

“Papa got me a new doll,” Yumi said suddenly, and then, after a pause, asked, “Do you want to see her?”

Kiyoko agreed, so, after a quick bite to eat and a brief trip back to the poolhouse to dry off and change back into her clothes, she followed Yumi to her room. Yumi’s bedroom once belonged to Ayumu, but when the older omega left home, Yumi moved in, thus returning the piano room (where she originally stayed) to a place dedicated solely to music. Kiyoko had visited Yumi’s room countless times in the past, and they often played with her dolls and her soft toys, and talked about deep topics (as deep as they could get being so young, anyway). It’d been almost half a year now since she’d even stepped inside Yumi’s room, much less played with her or spoken to her beyond a curt greeting, and Kiyoko missed her so badly.

Yumi’s room was neat and pretty as ever, decorated with the calming blues and greys that her papa loved, and with her beloved dolls contained neatly on their own shelf. Yumi retrieved her newest doll and presented it to Kiyoko.

“She’s pretty, right?”

Kiyoko accepted the doll, a red-furred shifter dressed in a cute yukata, and brushed her fingers over its soft faux-fur. “She is.” There was a time when Kiyoko might have been upset with a doll like that, but the months she’d spent away from the crueler children at school had done wonders for her mental health, and for her acceptance of her own alphahood.

“Um, Kiyoko… Kiyoko-chan,” Yumi said after a time. She placed her doll back on the shelf and then stared off at her desk, clearly too shy to make eye contact. “I miss playing with you sometimes.”

“I do, too,” Kiyoko replied. “I’m still sorry for scaring you. I just couldn’t stand how mean that boy was to you…”

“I know,” said Yumi. “Papa told me alphas can get really mad and go crazy sometimes, but it doesn’t always mean they’re bad. But I knew a lot of bad alphas when I was little, and it made me think of them, so I got scared that you might turn bad, too.”

“I never would!” Kiyoko cried.

There was another brief pause, and then Yumi finally met Kiyoko’s single green eye. “So, um… Do you… maybe want to play dolls?”

Kiyoko hugged Yumi tight, rumbling happily, and gave her a good nuzzling for the first time in months. Gods, did she _ever_ want to play dolls!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the final "wrap-up" chapter, and one focused on karin and ai, but there's still oooone more other chapter to go. thank you guys for bearing with me and always commenting, you make writing this story worthwhile. now alexa play guilty farewell party

Karin and Ai married in mid-September, just as the leaves were beginning to turn and the air took on a refreshing crispness. The splash of autumn color bathed the old shrine in an ancient, enchanted sort of beauty, but despite the gorgeous setting, Karin still had eyes only for Ai. How dazzling she looked dressed in the traditional thick-layered kimono and great white hood! As a cub, Karin often fantasized about seeing Ai in that costume and making the procession to the shrine alongside her, but now that it was truly happening, she found it nearly impossible to calm the frantic pounding of her heart.

Eli and Nozomi watched with pride in their chests as their little cub took her sake with shaking hands. Nozomi in particular was delighted with the cubs’ choice of a Shinto-style wedding; as a genuine believer in the spiritual traditions of her country, she was proud to know she’d passed at least some of that same reverence to her eldest and more practical-minded daughter. The rest of the family had widely varying degrees of belief in the gods and spirits and cosmic workings that (according to Nozomi) influenced the matters of life on earth, but all were struck by the strength and sincerity in Karin’s voice as she read her vows aloud before the gods, and as the couple made their offerings.

Ai watched her mate with pure adoration in her gaze. Karin didn’t know it, because she was too focused on her nerves and getting everything just right, but she exuded an irresistible alpha energy while she was in those formal clothes and making those pious declarations. It’d been Ai’s dream to do this with Karin for nearly as long as she’d known her – whether they did it Japanese style or American style or barbecue pool party style – and her heart was full now that she was in the moment.

“You’re beautiful,” Karin murmured as she slid the ring onto her mate’s finger, prompting a huge grin and a flare of pink to bloom on the omega’s face.

The vows had been read, the offerings made, and the rings exchanged, and so all that was left was for the families to share drink. Muse and Aqours were linked emotionally long ago, and indeed each pack considered the other as family, but today’s ceremony brought them together legally, and, for those so inclined, spiritually, as well.

“Congratulations, my little cub,” Nozomi said, and gave her daughter a nuzzle. “I always knew you two would be married one day.”

“Oh, me too!” Mari agreed. “You’ve been the sweetest little couple since you were cubs! I always thought you were a lot like me and Papa. You know, we were only seven years old when she first confessed to me! Well, actually, she asked me to marry her-”

Kanan cut the story short, clearly embarrassed. “You don’t have to tell the whole thing, Mari!”

Dia was also reluctant to hear the tale continued. “Kanan’s right,” she said. “We should be talking about Karin and Ai! It’s their wedding, after all.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Karin said, and made bold eye contact with her now father-in-law. Ai was publicly, legally, officially _hers_ now, and it was childishly satisfying to rub Kanan’s nose in that fact. “I kind of wanted to hear the story.”

Eli didn’t miss the subtle, yet tense, exchange that passed between Karin and Kanan, and she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alright, settle down, Miss Hotshot,” she said, and gave her cub a good-natured shove. “We’ll have plenty of time for stories once we get home.”

“You mean when we get to the afterparty!” Ai said, and clapped her hands together.

Beautiful and meaningful as the ceremony was, Ai wasn’t one for solemn rituals and fancy clothes, and felt light as a feather once she was home and out of the heavy robing. The “afterparty” was held at the Muse pack’s home, and featured a skillfully decorated cake baked with love by Kasumi and Honoka the night before. Everyone else provided dishes, too, so there was a worthy feast spread out along the kitchen counter for everyone to pick at.

“The cake looks awesome!” Ai said when she laid eyes on it. “I bet it tastes just as good, too, right?”

“Well, obviously it does!” Kasumi assured her, and delicately cut out a slice of her handiwork. “Try it for yourself! Here! First slice goes to the bride and the, uh…” She glanced at Karin, who raised her eyebrows expectantly. “…the other bride!”

Eli and Nozomi settled on the back porch with a shared plate piled with a little of everyone’s cooking, which they munched at while the other pack members moved constantly to and from the house, and while the cubs laughed and played in the yard. There was a light chill in the air, which set Nozomi’s fur to pricking through, and Eli laughed.

“You get cold so easily,” Eli said, and shifted her chair closer so she could press her warmth to her mate’s body.

“We get it, Elicchi, Russia is sooo much colder,” Nozomi said, and swished her tail playfully against Eli’s bottom. “Shift with me, big wolf.”

Mari arrived on the scene just as Eli was shifting and pressing a kiss to Nozomi’s waiting lips. “ _Oh my_!” she cried. “Are things heating up out here or what?”

Kanan was close behind her (and shivering – she was very much a summer woman), with little Nanaka clinging to her legs. She shifted the baby cub into her lap as she and Mari took their seats across from Eli and Nozomi. Nanaka wasted no time in attacking her papa’s plate with all the gusto expected of a growing little cub.

“What an appetite you have, Banana-chan!” Nozomi chuckled. “I bet you’ll grow up big and strong if you keep eating like that!”

“I don’t wanna grow up!” Nanaka said. “I’m staying little forever so Papa can hold me!”

“Papa can still pick you up even if you’re big,” Mari reminded her.

“Really?!”

Eli gazed out over the backyard, and was tickled by the sight of the little cubs burying Karin and Ai in the still-sparse fallen leaves, and then running and screaming when the couple sprang to life with two great roars. It seemed like just yesterday that it was herself and Nozomi getting buried with leaves, and little Karin, Kasumi, Ai, and Setsuna running for their tiny lives, but now…

“If only they could stay little forever, right?” Kanan said when she noticed her friend’s wistful eyes.

Eli shook her head. “It’s just… It feels like time has passed so quickly,” she said. “I mean, it hardly feels like almost _twenty years_ have passed since we first decided we wanted to start a family.”

“My papa used to say things like that,” Mari said. “I think it’s something every parent goes through! And pretty soon it’ll be the cubs’ turn, too.”

“Not until after she’s done with school, I hope!” Kanan said with a suspicious glance in Karin’s direction.

Nozomi had a giggle at Kanan’s ever-protective nature. “I’m just happy they decided to get married,” she said. “Even if they have to be separated for a while, I think having the ceremony and all the paperwork done will help Karin feel more secure. It’s understandable – I know I’d be nervous if Elicchi was going away for such a long time. There are a lot of other omegas out there, after all.”

“Nozomi, I would _never_ -”

Their conversation was cut short by a playful cub roar, followed by a very real and fearful one, and a buzz of voices as everyone present cried out and tried to intervene at once. Eli stood and quickly caught sight of Yumi scrambling away from Sayuri, who was hunched over and recoiling with a hand pressed hard to her mouth.

“I told you you were playing too rough with her!” Kiyoko snarled at her alpha friend.

Sayuri did not reply, and instead spit a bloody tooth into her palm, after which her throat began to convulse with sobs of shock and pain. Mari leapt into action at the sight of the blood and the sound of her cub’s cries, but Dia was closer, and reached the little alpha first. She put a gentle arm around her daughter’s shoulders and guided her into the house to clean up and assess her injuries. Mari excused herself and followed after them.

Yumi was long gone, escaped into the house to hide away from all the commotion, and You and Chika went swiftly after her. Kiyoko meant to join them, but Eli stopped her.

“Kiyoko-chan, what happened?” she asked.

“We were playing, and Sayuri grabbed Yumi and wouldn’t let her go,” Kiyoko explained. “Yumi got scared and kicked Sayuri in the mouth, and knocked her tooth out! Now I think Yumi’s having a fit.”

Nozomi’s heart ached for little Yumi. Naoko was gone, dead and rotting for years now, and still her crimes shook the living. Nozomi knew all too well how even simple, seemingly innocent things could induce a fit of panic, and felt it was a tragedy that Yumi had been robbed of the ability to play hard and rough as all little cubs should.

“I know you want to help, but it’s probably better if you let You and Chika handle it for now,” Eli said. “You wouldn’t want to crowd Yumi and make her feel even worse.”

“I’m sure she’d appreciate you checking in on her once she’s calm, though,” Nozomi added, noting her cub’s dejected expression.

“Yes, Mama, Mom.”

The older cubs gathered together on the opposite side the yard, closer to the apartment, with an old lawn chair provided for Kasumi and her heavy belly and swollen feet. Ayumu, who was the eldest, watched the distant and sad form of Kiyoko with amused interest.

“Your sister really likes Yumi-chan, huh?” she said to Karin.

Karin shrugged. “Well, I don’t know if it’s like _that_ ,” she said. “But they have a lot in common due to, you know, everything that happened with that alpha. Besides, Kiyoko’s always been the sensitive type, like Mama, so she’s always respected Yumi’s needs.”

“I dunno, I think it _is_ like that,” said Rina, the little pink alpha who was Ayumu’s mate from college. “They just have that look, you know? It’s just like the way you and Ai used to look, and the way Setsuna and Kasumi still look.”

Setsuna flushed at that comment. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Goo-goo eyes,” Rina replied simply.

All shared a laugh at that, save for Setsuna, whose cheeks burned while she tried to deny that very undeniable fact, and everyone’s spirits were lifted once again. The party slowly hummed back to life as the packs settled down after the Yumi incident, and the remaining cubs resumed their play. It wasn’t until the sun began to sink and the chilly breeze began to pick up that everyone migrated indoors to eat and drink and make merry there instead. Rin decided to get the kotatsu set up, and while Eli insisted it was too early, the youngest cubs, Yuri and Nanaka, heartily disagreed, and wedged themselves between Rin and Hanayo to enjoy the warmth.

“Feeling better now, Yumi-chan?” Nozomi asked as she and Eli seated themselves on the sofa.

“Uh-huh,” Yumi replied from her place in the pile of sleepy cubs nearby. All was forgiven, it seemed, and she was cuddled together with all the cubs in her age group, including Sayuri with her missing tooth and busted lip.

“We should probably head home before it gets too dark,” said You, and made to scoop her little omega up, but Yumi resisted.

“Can’t I stay the night, Papa?” she asked, clinging to the already-sleeping Kanata’s tail.

“You’ve got school tomorrow, baby,” You reminded her.

Yumi growled with displeasure at that fact. She sometimes envied Kiyoko, who now got to sleep in and study at her own pace every day, but she supposed the circumstances behind Kiyoko’s situation weren’t quite so desirable. So, after sharing scents with her friends one last time, she allowed You to carry her off.

“Thanks again for having us,” Kanan said as the rest of Aqours found their jackets and their shoes.

“Of course we had you!” Eli said. “Our children got married! Our packs are joined!” She pulled her longtime friend into a warm embrace, and both rumbled with delight.

“I’ll be sure to keep Karin out of trouble while she’s with us,” Kanan said.

Nozomi gave her not-so-little Karin and her now daughter-in-law Ai a hug and a kiss each. “Congratulations again, girls,” she said, and added with a wink, “Now, you be sure to behave on your honeymoon!”

“Mamaaa!” Karin groaned. Of course, she fully intended to make the most of her honeymoon – actually just a week or so spent staying with Ai in the Aqours poolhouse – but her mother teasing her about it in front of everyone was still embarrassing. Ai, naturally, laughed it off.

Eli and Nozomi sent their daughter off to her honeymoon bliss with one last shower of affection, and then the house was quiet once again. Only Setsuna was left behind, but she couldn’t stay much longer, either.

“I need to make sure I get back in time to take a shower and get to bed early,” she said.

Kasumi whined long and loud, begging her love not to leave again. “Why can’t you stay just one more night?” she demanded. “I really need you here, you know. You’re missing so much! Besides, I’m due in less than two months! What if something happens before then?”

“I know, but…!” Setsuna bristled at her mate’s tone, though she knew that Kasumi’s moods were just exceptionally sour lately as her discomfort grew. She was already pressured enough with school, work, and the imminent arrival of the baby; she didn’t need the added stress of an irritable mate, too. Surely Kasumi understood that she was trying her best? “I have class tomorrow, Kasumi, and work after that. I promise I’ll call you, and I’ll come back next weekend!”

Kasumi slumped over the arm of the couch with a great groan. She _knew_ she was being whiny and difficult, and it was embarrassing, but on another level, her body longed for the love and the security of her alpha’s presence. “I know, I know,” she finally admitted. “Guess I got too worked up.”

Setsuna knelt to press a tender kiss to Kasumi’s lips and to rub gentle circles over the omega’s belly. “Just call me if anything happens, okay?” she said. “Seriously! No matter what time it is! I’ll take the earliest train back home!”

Once Setsuna was gone and Kasumi’s tears dried, the Muse pack was at last alone again, and its members drifted off into quieter activities to wind down from the day’s festivities. Rin and Hanayo fell asleep under the kotatsu, as they were far too cozy between its warmth and their full bellies. Kanata, when she woke briefly and found that the pile of cubs she’d fallen asleep in was now gone, shuffled over to join her parents and promptly dozed off again. Nico massaged Maki’s well-worn feet on one couch, while Maki relayed some of her more stressful medical tales to her, and their daughter Yuri played quietly with her toys on the floor nearby. Honoka, Umi, Kotori, and Shizuku all surrounded Kasumi on the other couch, smothering her with affection to boost her mood after Setsuna’s departure. Kiyoko and Reine seemed to have wandered off someplace, most likely to their own rooms to unwind or, perhaps, to discuss the day’s events and gossip about Kiyoko’s relationship to Yumi – Reine loved to talk, after all.

That left just Eli and Nozomi, who decided to change into their sleepclothes and retire early to bed – but not to sleep, of course.

“We’ve come a long way, huh, Elicchi?” Nozomi asked from her place snuggled into her mate’s side.

“We sure have,” Eli agreed. “And I’m so proud to have done it all with you. Honestly… I don’t know where I’d be without you, Nozomi. You really changed me for the better.”

“You changed me, too,” Nozomi said, and reached for Eli’s hand. “We were fated to meet, Elicchi. That’s what I believe. Things couldn’t have turned out any other way.”

“Oh yeah?” Eli smiled and pressed a kiss to her wife’s forehead. “You really think so?” She’d heard Nozomi’s take on the subject a thousand times before, but it still warmed her heart to hear the story, so she asked again.

“Of course,” Nozomi said. “At that point I’d been praying to anyone or anything who would listen for help getting out of my situation. When you showed up at school one day as a transfer, I knew right away that you were the one meant for me.”

Nozomi always told the tale with such conviction, such confidence that Eli was, without even a shadow of a doubt, her soulmate, and it made Eli’s heart soar. She rumbled with pleasure at her omega’s words, and kissed her sweetly. She’d heard tales of other couples, ones who married with fire in their hearts and in their loins, but who eventually lost their passion and perhaps even grew tired of each other, or worse. Eli could honestly say that her affection and her desire for Nozomi had never even come close to fizzling out; if anything, it only deepened as time went on and they tackled more of life’s twists and turns together. Their sweet and delicate kisses soon turned burning hot, and Eli eventually found herself with her fingers pressed between Nozomi’s legs, with her desperate cock soon to follow.

Loving Nozomi just never got old.

 

Karin spent the following week and a half in pure marital bliss. Of course, she and Ai had made love countless times in the past, but there was something particularly arousing about the now-official aspect of their relationship, and while they spent the days with their families, they spent their evenings with their bodies joined together more often than not. Ai’s heat crept up on them not two days into their marriage, which only served to excite them further. But no matter how urgently Karin’s body screamed at her to put a cub in Ai’s belly, circumstances dictated that she could not, and that doing so would squander her wife’s valuable educational and career opportunities, so Karin took great care to avoid any “little surprises.”

It was on the tenth day that they had to leave the poolhouse for good, and that Ai was set to depart for Italy. She’d (wisely) packed all her bags before the wedding, so all that was left was to say her goodbyes, and that was something harder than she previously imagined. She and Karin took breakfast with her pack, and both her wife and her papa spent the meal with damp eyes and immovable lumps in their throats.

“Come on, you guys,” Ai pleaded with them. “You’re not making this any easier…”

Kanan wiped her reddened eyes for the umpteenth time. “One day you’ll have cubs who’ll leave home, too,” she said. “Then you might understand how I feel right now.”

“Is it really safe for you to just go there all alone?” Karin asked. “What if an alpha tries to get you? What if there’s someone there like- like-”

“I’ll be fine, Karin-chan,” Ai assured her. “Mama lived there, too, when she was my age, and she was just fine. So don’t worry!” She smiled her best smile, but Karin could only manage a weak one in return.

After breakfast, Ai enlisted Karin’s help in moving her bags downstairs. It was a bittersweet feeling looking around her brightly-decorated room – from her desk covered in tacky middle-school stickers and graffiti, to her bed, which was home to her most beloved stuffed animals – and knowing that she wouldn’t be returning there for a long, long time. The click of her door shutting pulled her from her thoughts, and she felt Karin press her body up against hers.

“Karin…” Ai turned herself around in Karin’s arms and leaned heavily against her, drawing in her soothing musk. “I really will miss you. But it’s not forever… I’ll visit any time I can.”

“I know,” Karin said. “It just hurts, you know? We’ve never spent more than a few days apart at a time, and every time that was when your parents used to keep us apart when you were in heat. This is… a lot more than a few days, and much farther away than just down the street.” She ran her fingers lightly along her mate’s face, and Ai responded with an amused rumble. “Promise you won’t meet some other alpha while you’re there? And always wear your ring, please…”

Ai nuzzled her alpha’s cheeks and gave her a hearty kiss. “You don’t have to worry about that,” she said. “I’m yours and yours only – I always have been. You know that! Besides, you’re my wife now… or do you prefer husband?”

“Wife, please!”

They shared a laugh, and then Karin ducked her head down to Ai’s neck and nudged her chin upwards, indicating that she ought to tilt her head back. Ai knew what was coming, so she obeyed, and allowed Karin to take her exposed throat between her fangs and shake her ever-so-gently. Ai’s giggles turned to soft moans as Karin’s teeth tickled her vulnerable flesh. One tingling touch led to another, and before Ai knew it she was pressed back onto the bed with Karin rocking between her legs. There was precious little time left before Ai had to be at the airport, but still they managed to squeeze one last, desperately passionate mating onto the schedule, and Karin took great pleasure in gushing inside her and claiming her in the most primal of ways.

Karin’s sex musk still clung to Ai when it was time to say her final goodbyes, but she couldn’t bring herself to care; surely her packmates understood. She started first with Riko and Yoshiko, who dearly missed their little Setsuna, and knew perfectly well how Ai’s parents must feel. But Ayumu had once left home to study and Riko survived that, so she knew that she’d survive Setsuna’s absence, as well, and that Kanan and Mari could weather Ai’s.

She next met with You and Chika, who over the years had so desperately longed for a cub of their union, and whose wishes were eventually granted not in the form of a blood cub, but in the form of little Yumi, an omega cub who was still learning how to live after suffering horrific abuse at the hands of her birth father, and the death of her birth mother.

Next came Ruby and Hanamaru, and their little surprise cub Emma. Ai had known them as her attentive and fun-loving aunts, and while Ruby’s parting tears were contagious, Ai didn’t doubt that baby Emma would keep them too occupied to cry in the coming months.

Ayumu and Rina were not present on this day, as they had responsibilities to attend to in the home they’d built together, but they sent their well wishes in the form of a money-stuffed postcard, which arrived a day prior. Sarah and Leah, too, made sure to leave her with a handsome sum to do with as she pleased once she touched down in Italy. Setsuna was particularly distraught that she was unable to say goodbye in person, but she called Ai to grant her all her blessings and love as she took the next step in her young life.

Ai didn’t neglect saying goodbye to everyone in Muse, either. They piled into Mari’s van and made the short trip down the block to the Muse pack’s home, where Eli and Nozomi were waiting to accompany them to the airport.

First, though, Ai made sure to check in with Nico and Maki, the couple who was simultaneously deeply in love and at each other’s throats constantly. Maki worked obscene hours to support her pack, but most of all she did it for her children, Reine and Yuri, who both began as unwanted frights, but eventually became the lights of Maki’s life. Nico supported her cubs from within the home, and with the extra income generated from her successful modeling career.

Next were Rin and Hanayo, who’d contributed to many a fun afternoon at Karin’s house. The two of them really had a way with cubs, and both had been excited to have their own to play with and raise in the tradition of good, clean fun, only for their only daughter, Kanata, to be a natural homebody sleepyhead!

Honoka, Kotori, and Umi, as well as their daughters Kasumi and Shizuku, bid Ai a warm farewell, too. Ai and their older daughter Kasumi had bonded early over being the two omegas of their group, and shared many girlish secrets over the years. It was hard to believe that Kasumi would be having a cub of her own soon (though it was hardly surprising that the cub was Setsuna’s), and Ai cursed the fact that she wouldn’t be present to visit the little one once she was born.

Leaving her friends – her _family_ – behind sent great shuddering breaths through her lungs and pangs of grief through Ai’s heart. Saying goodbye to her packmates and the two houses she’d grown up in was hard, so terribly hard, but the worst yet was standing at the airport with her parents, Kanan and Mari, and her two baby sisters, Sayuri and Nanaka, and her beloved Auntie Dia, as well as Eli and Nozomi, who were like her second parents, and Kiyoko, who was like a third baby sister.

Then there was Karin, who waited politely for everyone else to get in their nuzzles and their hugs and their kisses before finally throwing herself at Ai and holding her tight, as though that might keep her from leaving at all.

“I don’t want you to go,” Karin told her for perhaps the thousandth time that day.

“I know.”

She knew all along that it would be Karin she clung to the longest. Karin, who was her little protector, her best friend, her first love and her first mate, her wife, her life mate. Spending months at a time away from Karin’s loving companionship was unthinkable, and yet here she was, about to embark on a journey that would have her doing just that, and her heart ached. Ai thought that perhaps promises of the future might ease Karin’s cries, suggestions of coming home and growing a nest egg with which to build up a home together, and – who knows? – maybe a little cub would come along, too. Unfortunately, these ideas seemed only to compound Karin’s grief.

“It’s almost time to go, sweetheart,” Kanan reminded her.

“I know, Papa.” Ai slowly drew herself back from Karin so that she could see her mate’s face. She’d never seen her look more pitiful, with her dull, reddened eyes and nigh-endless tears rolling down her cheeks. Ai herself wasn’t much better off, but she had no choice but to be tough now that she was going away to a foreign country by herself. She took Karin’s face in her hands and held her there, gently, and gave her a soft smile.

“I’m sorry, Ai,” Karin eventually said, her voice hoarse from crying so hard. Her senses were finally catching up to her grief, and her actions embarrassed her. “I don’t mean to make this hard for you, or to be so dramatic. It’s just… I’ll _miss_ you.”

“I’ll miss you, too, Karin,” Ai said. “But like I said… It’s not forever. Once I’m done with school, I’ll come home, and we’ll have the rest of our lives to do whatever we want! We just gotta get there first.”

Karin pulled her wife into another, calmer, embrace, but she knew she was out of time. Kanan and Mari and the rest of Ai’s blood family were standing by, patiently waiting to escort her the rest of the way to the gates. She felt her own mama’s hands begin to rub soft circles in her back, as she often did in the past when Karin would have alpha fits, and she decided it was time. With one final kiss to her mate’s lips, and a whispered declaration of love, Karin let Ai go.

It was hard, and her heart was broken, but surely they would make it.


	24. Ten Years On...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally the end, everyone! I want to thank all of you so so SO much for reading my story and leaving your comments. This is the first story I've EVER completed, and I would never, ever have done it without the overwhelmingly positive and encouraging response from all of you! I am so happy that people genuinely enjoy my work, and that has made it worth my while. THANK YOU!!!
> 
> I'm going to take a little break, but I'm not done with this AU yet. There's still more history to explore, and frankly I'm just too attached at this point. Until the next big story, I'm just gonna spend some time working on other, smaller stories, as well as going back over this one and correcting any grammatical or continuity errors and awkward sentences.
> 
> If you're interested at all in connecting with me, please find me on instagram or Twitter as @nozoelibelly, on tumblr as voltdog, or on Discord as voltdog#5959
> 
> This is a short, sweet final chapter, and I hope you enjoy. Leave me one last hot comment! Thanks again, and see u next time!
> 
> P.S. i always wondered how many ppl clicked on this looking for smut

No matter how many years passed them by, Eli never got tired of waking up to Nozomi’s lovely scent. They’d been through it all together – from surviving high school to their wedding day, from buying a house and paying the bills to raising two alpha girls within it, from defending their pack from evil alphas to watching their little cub get married and form a pack of her own. They’d spent nearly forty years together, and still Eli was just as madly in love with Nozomi as she’d been as a fiery teen alpha, and she was certain Nozomi felt the same.

On this particularly frosty morning, Eli was content to stay in the bed and enjoy her wife’s warmth, but life with children – even grown ones – had a way of keeping the lazy days away. The phone on the nightstand rang, and Eli was happy to ignore it in favor of getting back to dreamland, but she felt her mate shift beside her, and then a soft “Little cub?” as she answered the call.

Eli felt herself drifting away again as Nozomi’s hushed phone conversation lulled her to sleep, but that would not last. She didn’t even realize Nozomi had hung up the phone already until she felt her mate gently shake her shoulder.

“Elicchi.”

Eli didn’t move, and instead breathed deeply and tried to feign sleep. Nozomi was persistent, though, and poked at her mate’s cheeks.

“Elicchi, I know you’re awake,” she said. “I see you smiling!”

With any chance of sleeping the morning away now long gone, Eli let her eyes flutter open, and she met Nozomi’s with a big, dumb grin.

“Hi, Nontan.”

Nozomi gave her a playful shove, and then left her in the bed while she set about gathering her clothes and fixing her hair. “Hurry and get up, love,” she said. “We’ve got to get to Numazu, quick! It’s finally time!”

That got Eli to her feet in record time. They’d packed a “go-bag” weeks ago for this very occasion, so getting ready this morning was minimally stressful, as all the essentials were already gathered in one place. Once they were dressed and groomed, all that was left was to grab a bite to eat before they hit the road. Nico was in the kitchen, fixing up some eggs for her hungry cubs, and she met Eli and Nozomi with a bright smile.

“Congratulations, you two!” she said. “Kiyoko told me the news. You guys got time to eat before you go? I’ll make you something.”

“You’re just the chef we wanted to see!” Nozomi replied.

In the living room, Kiyoko and Yumi were sat together at the kotatsu, watching the TV and eating their breakfast with their tails intertwined. Kiyoko was no longer the tiny, slight girl she’d been as a cub, and while she wasn’t quite as big as Karin, she was still built very much like Eli, and the old scarring on her face gave her tough alpha character. Yumi, too, had grown into a lovely young woman, and while Nozomi was still sometimes struck by the physical similarities between her and Naoko, their personalities were polar opposites. There wasn’t an aggressive bone in Yumi’s body; she was sweet and respectful and collected nearly all of the time, and any violent outbursts she had over the years could be attributed directly to her childhood trauma.

“Mom!” Kiyoko cried when she spotted Eli. “Did you hear from Karin?”

“I did,” Eli said. “You’re coming with us, aren’t you? Have you packed already?”

“I’ve already got my bag by the door so we can carry it out,” Kiyoko said. “Do you mind if Yumi comes, too? She doesn’t want to miss it.”

“I mean, I don’t want to intrude or anything,” Yumi said quickly. “And I can take the train home, so…”

Eli shook her head. “You’re welcome to come with us, Yumi-chan, it’s not an intrusion,” she said. “You’re part of the family, too.”

After breakfast, Eli and Kiyoko carried the bags out to the car and packed them safely in the trunk while Nozomi gathered some extra blankets to bring along. It wasn’t as though it was a terribly long drive to Numazu, but her aging bones felt the bite of winter more than ever now. Luckily, Eli got the car nice and toasty for her, and she found herself dozing beneath her blanket while the cubs chatted in the back seat.

“Kiyoko-chan, do you remember the time we all went to Uchiura together?” Yumi was saying.

“I remember,” Kiyoko said. “It was around when we first met you, and when I first lost my eye.”

“I really liked that trip,” Yumi said, and flicked her tail in mild embarrassment. “I’d never been on a vacation or done anything like that before then, you know. Even now I get kind of excited when we visit.”

It was Sunday morning, so traffic was fairly light, and they made it to the coastal city in good time. Numazu itself was a bustling city, not at all like the quiet neighborhood of Uchiura, and despite having grown up in Tokyo, Yumi spent the remaining portion of the drive gazing out in wonder at all the buildings and the people.

“We’re almost there,” Eli said to Nozomi once they were close, and reached over to give her wife’s shoulder a gentle pat.

It felt good to stretch their legs once they finally arrived at the hospital, and the chill in the air was not quite as sharp as it was back at home. Eli checked in with the woman at the front desk, and they were all granted visitor wristbands, after which they were directed to the maternity wing.

“Karin said they’re in room 203,” Nozomi said.

They knew that was the correct room, because as they approached, a voice from inside that was unmistakably Sayuri’s exclaimed, “Oh my god! Look at the balls on this kid!”

When they stepped into the room, Sayuri was excitedly holding up the furry little baby to show off her Ayase family jewels, all while Karin stood nearby looking absolutely appalled and ready to jump her packmate.

“Oh, reminds me of Elicchi!” Nozomi remarked without missing a single beat, and Mari and Ai both exploded into laughter while heat crept into Eli’s cheeks.

“Mama, Mom!” Karin cried at the sight of her parents, and rushed to hug them and share scents with them. “Thanks for coming. Miyu was born in the middle of the night, so I waited until morning to call you.” She gave Kiyoko a hug and some rough pats, and then opened her arms in invitation to Yumi, who gladly accepted the affection.

“Congratulations, little cub,” Nozomi said. “We came as soon as we could after your call!”

Karin turned to Sayuri, who had gone full Lion King with the baby cub, and snarled at her. “Stop that! Leave her alone, you’re scaring her!” She removed her daughter from the reckless Sayuri’s care, and then presented her to Eli and Nozomi. Eli took the child first, and held her upright so she could get a good look at her.

“What a lively little alpha you are, Miyu!” Eli said. The baby was dark-furred, like Karin, and possessed the telltale Ayase blue eyes. She kicked and flailed her arms and showed her fangless gums, and every now and then managed a hoarse and squeaky growl, and Eli’s chest swelled with pride. Here was her first grandcub, a healthy, spunky alpha girl sporting the blend of Eli’s and Nozomi’s scents which they knew to be Karin’s, and mixed with Ai's golden tones to create a scent that was new and unique.

“She’s strong, huh?” Kanan said, and it was plain that she, too, was elated with the baby alpha.

“She’s like Karin was when she was born,” Eli replied.

Mother and cub were both growing agitated in the absence of the other, so Eli and Nozomi shared scents with the baby one last time before passing her back to Karin, who finally put her in a diaper and delivered her to Ai’s anxious arms. The cub smacked her lips and made a tiny rumble, so Ai put her to her breast to nurse, which she did greedily.

“Hey, we’re back!” came the familiar voice of Kasumi from the door. “Sorry we took so long!”

The ashen omega entered the room with Setsuna beside her, and with their litter of four little cubs trailing behind them. Kasumi carried a bag of Ai’s favorite fast food, and Ai cheered when it was presented to her.

“Oh, heck yeah! I’m starving!”

Everyone spent a while catching up in the hospital room, and Ai fully enjoyed the reward of a juicy cheeseburger after suffering the trials of childbirth, but after an hour or so it was clear that she and the baby needed to rest, so Eli and Nozomi agreed to go with Kasumi and Setsuna to the house.

“We’re supposed to be discharged later today,” Karin explained before they left. “We’ll meet you at the house later, so just make yourselves at home.”

The cubs’ home was one that was perhaps a 20-minute walk from the beach, and it was large not because they wanted to be extravagant, but because their already large pack size was constantly growing as they got their feet off the ground and began to have children of their own. Eli could only imagine the sorts of additions they’d have to make in the coming years! She only somewhat-fondly remembered the spring in which she, Kanan, and Honoka attempted to DIY an extra wing onto the house to make more space for the sudden influx of cubs in the Muse pack, and what a catastrophe it turned out to be before they finally gave in and hired a group of professionals.

Things seemed alright space-wise for now, though, unless Kasumi had plans to pop out a few more cubs. That wasn’t necessarily out of the question, either; Kasumi had fallen easily into the role of the pack homemaker, as she enjoyed staying home and experimenting in the kitchen, and occasionally streamed videos of herself and her cubs baking together. She and Setsuna apparently enjoyed a very active and passionate sex life, and aside from their firstborn, it was never clear to their packmates whether their many children were planned or if they were “blessings.”

It was a few hours before Karin and Ai made it back home with their own little blessing, and Eli and Nozomi passed the time by playing with Setsuna and Kasumi’s multitude of cubs, as well as Ayumu and Rina’s young alpha daughter. There was a certain magic in having babies and young cubs around the house, and both Eli and Nozomi deeply missed it.

“Aw, man! I miss your parents, Kiyoko-chan,” Sayuri said as she watched the couple tussle with the little ones. “How are things back at home? I’m used to it here now, but I always wanted to be a Tokyo police officer…”

Kiyoko leaned on the kitchen counter, her tail swishing thoughtfully. “Well, it’s about the same as always,” she said. “I’m still working at the library with Maru on the weekends. Really, I’ve been thinking of staying in Tokyo myself when I finish school, but…” The squeals of happy cubs made it difficult to even finish the thought of staying in Tokyo. “This is where the pack is.”

“We could split into two packs,” Sayuri suggested. She began to load up the blender with a variety of fruits and vegetables and some unidentified seeds. “One for here, one for there!”

“I mean, we _could_ , but what would we do that for? That’s like breaking up our family,” Kiyoko replied. “Besides, who would even come with us when they’ve already got it made here?”

“Yumi-chan, for one,” Sayuri said. “And… Kanata-chan.”

Neither Kiyoko nor Yumi missed the way Sayuri curled her tail cutely at the mention of her now-girlfriend. When Sayuri finally outgrew her childhood crush on Nozomi and began to have alpha urges in earnest, she turned her attention to the prettily-blooming Kanata… who was disinterested to an incredible degree. Kanata was much slower to interest in romance, and Sayuri, being herself, assumed she wasn’t “alpha” enough, and pushed her already-strong passion for an active and healthy lifestyle to the next level.

The result was a grown Sayuri with a physique that could easily rival Kanan’s at her peak. Kanata eventually did accept Sayuri’s advances, but for reasons unrelated to the alpha’s physical fitness.

“I was just flattered at her persistence,” Kanata once explained.

Yumi frowned at the suggestion of splitting their pack. “I’d rather be with everyone else,” she said. “I’ll miss Mom and Papa, though…”

“Hey!”

Kasumi came over and rapped the counter with a wooden spoon. “If you guys are gonna take up space in the kitchen, the least you could do is help!” she said, and pointed the spoon accusingly at her friends. “Everyone’s gonna be here tonight, and I mean _everyone_ , so we’ve gotta make enough food to go around! Come on!”

Setsuna stepped into the kitchen upon hearing her mate’s rant. “I’ll help, too, sweetie.”

Kasumi visibly stiffened. “Er… It’s fine, Setsuna! Between the four of us here and Mari we should be good. S-so go relax! It’s your day off!”

Sayuri, Kiyoko, and Yumi all stepped up to the plate as well.

“You deserve a day off for all the work you do!” Kiyoko insisted. “We’ll handle the cooking, so…!”

Setsuna blinked, completely oblivious to the desperation in her friends’ eyes. “Well, okay, if you say so. You guys are just too sweet! I’ll be in here if you need any help, though!”

All breathed a sigh of relief when Setsuna left the kitchen. The memory of the atrocious dish the well-meaning alpha brought to Ayumu and Rina’s wedding was still raw, even years later. In fact, Setsuna brought a special homemade dish to every family function, and the pack was well-versed in making it disappear while still sparing her easily-hurt feelings.

The remaining members of Muse and Aqours trickled in as the day went on, and by dinnertime, everyone was present and ready to eat and perform the scenting ceremony for the new cub. Despite the chilling temperatures outside, the house was warm and happy and packed tight with love. Karin watched with tension in every muscle as the little one was passed around the room and scented one by one. She’d never spring on one of her packmates (or so she thought), but the urge to protect her newborn daughter was incredibly powerful and kept her wound up until the baby eventually made her way back to her.

“We’re having a patrol at midnight,” Karin announced as the feasting began, and a great cry rose up from the alphas. Patrols were the height of alpha fellowship, and it’d been far too long since all the alphas in the pack were able to have one together.

“Don’t forget to wear your coat,” Yoshiko reminded Setsuna, who flushed and groaned with embarrassment amid the giggles from the rest of the pack. She was nearly thirty years old; she hardly needed reminding to wear her coat in winter!

“Yes, Mama…”

The feasting slowed, and the temperature dropped considerably as the night went on. The family packed themselves into the living area to lounge and to sleep, as there were no open bedrooms (and there were far too many people besides), and it simply felt good to be together. When midnight eventually came, Karin insisted that Ai try and get some sleep, but she refused.

“We’ll go to bed together when you come back,” Ai said. “There’s no way we’re getting in that cold bed by ourselves! Right, baby?” She planted a kiss on her cub’s cheek, and the child grunted in response.

“Just stay by the kotatsu where it’s warm until then,” Karin said. “I’ll try not to be long, so…”

Ai gave her a friendly shove. “Alright, alright, Karin, go on! You’re gonna be late for your own patrol!” she said. “We’re all good here, I’ve got a big strong alpha here to protect me! So go! We’ll wait for you.”

Karin left her mate and her cub with a kiss, and then ventured out into the freezing January night with her alpha packmates. Even hard-headed Kanan submitted to Karin tonight, despite knowing the area better than the younger alpha. After all, this was Karin’s patrol, in Karin’s territory, and Karin was no longer a horny little cub messing with Kanan’s daughter. She was a grown alpha, a dedicated mate, and now a father, and Kanan respected that. She’d always liked Karin, really, but she’d been a young alpha once, and was no stranger to their ways, so defending Ai’s innocence and opportunities always came first. But Karin had proved herself, and while Kanan had no problem giving her a hard time still, she silently respected her as her daughter-in-law and as a fellow alpha.

Eli, meanwhile, was struck by just how grown Karin looked, and how easily she led and commanded the pack through the dark. She’d certainly come a long way from the hunched shoulders and shaking hands and sputtering piss of her first patrol, and Kiyoko, too, had grown into her own as an alpha. An immense pride welled in Eli’s chest at the sight of her once-tiny daughters, now the very picture of alpha virility, and she wished Nozomi was present to watch them now, too.

Patrolling together was great fun, but the cold of the night was biting even through their coats and their furs, so they spent only an hour or so marking up the neighborhood. When they returned home, everyone battered Karin with congratulatory thumps and shoves and nuzzles before heading inside to their mates and their beds.

“I’m happy for you, Karin,” Kanan said once most of the pack was back inside. “Really. You’ve been a great mate to Ai, and I’m sure you’ll raise that little alpha up right. Eli was your father, so… I’ve got high hopes.” She shook Karin’s shoulder, and stepped into the house.

Eventually, only Eli and Karin remained on the front porch, and Eli gestured for her to stay for a moment. Karin stepped closer, and felt like a child again as she waited for her mother to speak.

“I want you to know how proud I am of you, Karin,” Eli said. “Having you and Kiyoko were the best decisions your mother and I ever made, and I mean that. Watching you tonight, I could hardly believe you were the same little baby I used to rock to sleep every night. You’ve really grown into an extraordinary alpha.”

Karin’s tail curled sheepishly inwards, and she felt a lump fast-forming in her throat. “Mommy…” She’d never quite grown out of that childish nickname, and Eli delighted in it. “You know, all this time I was just trying to be like you.”

Eli felt a surge of affection wash over her, and she pulled her daughter into a hug. “You’re everything I could’ve hoped for and more,” she said. “I know Mama feels the same. We love you, Karin.”

Karin had never really noticed before how the strength in Eli’s once-toned and powerful body was slowly beginning to wane, or how her vibrant golden fur had gone all white over the years. She held her mother tightly as tears began to prick at her eyes. “I love you, too.”

When their moment at last came to an end, Eli and Karin returned to the warmth of the house and the arms of their waiting mates. Eli pressed a kiss to Nozomi’s cheek as they watched their daughter delicately guide Ai and the grandcub up the stairs.

“She was amazing tonight,” Eli whispered.

“That’s what I heard,” Nozomi replied. “Our little cubs aren’t so little anymore, huh, Elicchi?”

“No, they’re not,” Eli said. She pulled the blanket snugly around the two of them and cuddled close, taking in the soft, comforting scent of Nozomi she loved so much. “I can’t wait to see where they’ll go next.”

Upstairs in their bedroom, Karin and Ai were changed into their warm sleepclothes, and did the same for the baby before settling down together in the bed. Karin leaned into Ai and watched in both awe and adoration as little Miyu nursed herself to sleep. How amazing it was that she and Ai had created the little cub from their passion, that she’d grown inside of Ai’s body, and even now Ai could sustain her with her body alone. The wonders of nature and of life were neverending, and for Karin, deeply humbling.

“I love her,” Karin declared.

“She’s our little baby,” Ai said, and giggled. “Ahh, listen to those little rumbles!” She turned to nuzzle Karin and kiss her softly. “She looks just like you, too. Is she even related to me at all? Hehe!”

They laid the child down, and Ai drifted off not long afterward, no doubt exhausted after the ordeal of giving birth followed by the massive family party at home. Karin stayed awake for a while, just watching her baby sleep and reveling in the incredible reality that she was a father now. She wondered if Mommy and Mama were struck with the same, overwhelming sense of wonder when they brought her home for the very first time, and if they, too, were unable to sleep for all the emotions welling up within them.

There was one thing that Karin was completely and utterly certain of, however. No matter what struggles her cub might face growing up – whether it was the trials of young alphahood, troublesome betas, the heartache and confusion of adolescence, or the threat of dangerous alphas – Karin would stand by her and defend her, forever and for always, until she drew her last, dying breath. And if Karin herself ever needed a hand to pull her up, an ear to hear her troubles, a shoulder to cry on, well… the world’s most extraordinary alpha was but a phone call away.

And so the cycle begins anew…

_**The End** _

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Beta I'm so sorry](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15945317) by [Pegasisterheadphones](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pegasisterheadphones/pseuds/Pegasisterheadphones)
  * [Christmas Patrol](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17007036) by [YuriSenpai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YuriSenpai/pseuds/YuriSenpai)




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